Leave Well Enough Alone or Seek the Impossible Better
by Skorky
Summary: Back from their Fiji honeymoon, Shawn &Katy get the biggest surprise of their lives, but before they're ready to become parents, Katy loses the only mother she's known and a shock about her own birth while Shawn refuses to consider anything good re seeking out his own actual mother but Maya has other ideas. Some Joshaya. Slight retcon and AU. Please read& review.
1. Chapter 1

Leave Well Enough Alone or Seek the Impossible Better?-

DISCLAIMERS: the characters that were first depicted in **Boy Meets World**& **Girl Meets World** are the creations of Michael Jacobs and currently (March-April, 2020) owned by Disney and I claim nothing but am writing this fanfic for personal enjoyment with no monetary compensation sought.

A BMW/GMW slightly AU retconned fanfic. Some characters' origins will be slightly modified but not enough to trash the shows' concepts or how they interact with each other.

_A/N- Back from their Fiji honeymoon, Shawn and Katy get the biggest surprise of their lives but before they're ready to become parents, Katy suffers the loss of the only mother she knows and a shock about her own birth while Shawn refuses to consider anything good coming from seeking out his own actual mother but Maya has other ideas._

Chapter One: Half-Baked Plans

Kitchen of Topanga's Bakery, NYC- September,2016

"Here's the starter for our Extra Yeasty Gold Mine Sourdough!" 33-year-old Katy Hart Hunter grunted as she poured it into the dry mix and was ready to bring down the large mixer.

Then suddenly felt queezy.

"You, okay?" Topanga Lawrence Matthews asked.

"Sure, boss! Just let me mix in the water, flour and salt and. ..Oh, NO!" Katy exclaimed and ran to the tiny kitchen bathroom off the next to the handwashing sink.

"Katy, you're not feeling well! I'm sending you home," Topanga ordered as she heard the sound of Katy throwing up from the other side of the door.

"No, you can't! I just got back from my honeymoon last month and Maya's got school supplies and. ." Katy pleaded through the bathroom door.

"You've got Shawn helping to take care of your bills now- not to mention Maya. And the Board of Health would shut us down if I kept an employee here who just got sick!" Topanga insisted.

At that Katy exited the bathroom.

"'Panga, we had a wonderful honeymoon in Fiji - a phenomenal one, in fact. He's such an acrobat!"Katy swooned.

"So I've heard," Topanga sighed as she rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, got sidetracked," Katy giggled.

"It happens," Topanga shrugged.

" Anyway, I just got a whiff from that strange new starter. I'll be fine!" Katy scoffed.

"This starter has a 4.9 out of 5 star rating on that baking website and is homegrown on a farm not too far out of the Big Apple," Topanga scoffed as she smelled the container of starter and nodded.

"Yeah, I know Daffodil Hill. ." Katy sighed.

"Dandelion Field," Topanga corrected as she read the package.

"Whatever. So it was a bad starter," Katy argued.

"It's some of the best starter I've ever smelled. _I'll bet _I_ know what it is_," Topanga exclaimed as she snapped her fingers then laughed in a sing-song voice then hugged Katy.

"No, it CAN'T be! I just got married again and. .." Katy pleaded.

"How long were you married when you and Kermit [snort] made Maya?" Topanga asked.

"Why do you do that when I mention my ex's name?" Katy asked.

" I just keep thinking frog," Topanga shrugged.

"We were hot and heavy teens and we didn't use any protection but Shawn and I are middl .. .er not teens and we. ." Katy protested.

"Neither were me and Cory when we had Auggie and, yes, all precautions weren't enough to keep him from happening! "Topanga laughed as she shook her head.

"Look, at least wait until I've done the pee sticks and the OB before you say anything to Shawn. .. or Cory!" Katy insisted.

"Come on! Can't I tell my own husband?" Topanga sputtered.

"No! You know he CAN'T keep it a secret from Shawn!" Katy sighed.

"You're right- and if I tell Riley, it'll be all over the 'Net even before she tells Maya," Topanga conceded.

"Let me get back to finishing the shift ," Katy pleaded.

"No go! You need to be getting those pee sticks and seeing if the OB can fit you in by tonight," Topanga insisted.

"But we still have the loaves for today," Katy sighed.

"It's a Tuesday. We're never that busy. I can handle this one on my own. Just go!" Topanga insisted as she grabbed Katy by the right arm.

"But. .." Katy scoffed as Topanga started pushing her out.

"Goodbye, Mommie!" Topanga laughed.

.

.

"So thanks for planning a slumber party for Maya and Riley at your place," Katy exclaimed on her Smartphone later that evening in the hallway while getting ready to walk into her and Shawn's apartment.

"Believe me, it's best you get to break this news to Shawn without any chance of distraction. Two seconds before I was ready to break the news about Auggie to Cory, Riley popped up in bed between us and spilled the beans," Topanga recalled.

"Awkward," Katy gulped- as she got her keys out of her clutch.

"Yeah, and she pressed the frequent caller conference call button so every single member of our families, my old law firm, clients,Cory's fellow teachers and all her class got to hear it,too- not to mention Cory having called me Panga Bear moments before! " Topanga groaned.

"That really sucked. Well, I'm at the door so wish me luck. Bye, Panga!" Katy exclaimed as she pressed the phone off and walked in the door.

"Gotta go,"Shawn was heard to say on the other side of the door as he put down his own Smartphone on the coffee table close to the front door.

"Hey, Babe! Got some news!" 36-year-old Shawn Hunter exclaimed as he hugged her.

"So do I! You go first!" Katy exclaimed while stroking his beard.

" OK, Senator Eric said he wants me to do his website and profile pics!"Shawn exclaimed.

"Really, Eric came up with that?" Katy asked.

"Actually, T.J. A.K.A. Tommy thought of it but, however I got it, with all the hits I'd get, we could move to the Upper East Side in a few months!" Shawn gushed.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Gorgeous! " Katy gushed.

" So, what's your news, Babe?" Shawn asked as the two kissed.

"Remember Fiji?" Katy asked.

"Come on! How could I ever forget Fiji? It marked the last time we get to be totally nude all the time outside our bedroom until Maya leaves for college," Shawn laughed as he started to take off his shoes, socks and t-shirt.

"Shawn! I know we only get to do it without blasting heavy metal when Maya's not here but, before we get too hot, there's something I need to tell. ." Katy gulped as Shawn kissed her from her mouth to her neck and hugged her with his right hand while unbuckling his belt to remove his pants with his left.

"It can wait, Babe!" Shawn growled.

"That's exactly what you said in Fiji when I said I ran out of a certain pill there that one night and we needed to take the scooter from our hut to the convenience store," Katy pleaded as they hopped onto the couch while hugging each other.

"Yeah, Jack sure outdid himself giving us the Fiji honeymoon for our wedding present! " Shawn growled as he jumped up from the couch and did a cartwheel while only attired in his briefs.

"And remember how all those raincoats kept failing one after another and another?" Katy asked -as she stroked his beard again while he was nuzzling her and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her red blouse.

"Raincoats? We were nude and I'm wishing you were that way NOW! My Jane of the Jungle! ROWRR!" Shawn growled as he climbed back on top of her and hugged her.

"No, My Jungle Lord Shawn. I'm not talking about the kind of raincoat you wear on your torso!" Katy sighed as she stroked it.

" Good one! Yeah, I sure outdid myself in more ways than one that night!" Shawn laughed.

"Yes, and we're going to have to make some important decisions about the rest of our lives thanks to your . . .outdoing!" Katy sighed.

"Heh! Heh! Heh!Heh! Heh.. . .Oh, . ._Feeny_!" Shawn laughed then groaned as it hit him.

"Are you okay with ... the news? Do you want . .?" Katy asked.

"Katy, I know we're just starting out and we weren't planning it and we've got bills. . but, yeah, I DO want it. I DO want a brother or sister for Maya and a baby for us to give a good life to. . .Do you. .?" Shawn asked.

"Even though this puts our empty nest plans back from Maya's college to another two decades and we'd have more bills than ever, I do, too," Katy exclaimed with a hug.

"AWESOME!" Cory and Topanga's disembodied voices were heard to say from the coffee table next to the couch.

"Oh,Man! I left the Smartphone on instead of hanging up after talking to Cory!" Shawn gasped as he immediately jumped over the couch to the floor behind the couch while Katy rebuttoned the top buttons of her blouse ,sat up and straightened her hair.

"Hello, Cory, Topanga!" Katy groaned while Shawn kneeled behind the couch with only the top half of his face visible above the back of the couch while waving.

"Way to go, BRO! " Cody laughed as he and Topanga waved back from their end of the Smartphone.

" And Cory **also** said 'Oh, Feeny!' when Riley told him about Auggie! Nice briefs, Shawn, " Topanga laughed.

"Thanks," Shawn sheepishly groaned while blushing.

"Keep it to yourselves until we can break the news to Maya. ." Katy pleaded.

"Too late!" Maya yelled as she turned the Andrewses' end of the phone to focus on her image.

" We'll talk about this when you get back tomorrow morning," Katy gulped.

"There's nothing to talk about Mom. .. you,too, Daddy! " Maya Hunter proclaimed while Riley waved next to her.

"Hello, Maya, Riley," Shawn groaned while again poking his head from behind the couch.

"But we need to talk about how it makes you feel. .." Katy pleaded while Shawn nodded.

" Lord Uncle Shawn of the Jungle!" Riley and Auggie laughed together on their end.

"Guys, just no!" Maya was heard to shout before she cut off the signal.

"Why didn't you make sure your Smartphone was OFF OFF before I came inside?"Katy asked kneeled on the couch to reach him as she slapped Shawn on his left arm.

"Can I help it if I'm not used to those phones having no real buttons?" Shawn sputtered.

"Shawn," Katy groaned.

"Well?" Shawn asked.

"You think our daughter's okay with it?" Katy asked.

" You're her mother and you've known her a lot longer than I have!" Shawn protested.

"Yeah, but this is the very first time I've told her I'm pregnant," Katy sighed.

"Well, that makes two of us," Shawn replied.

" I really hope she doesn't feel displaced or . . Shawn, what are you doing?" Katy asked- as Shawn's briefs flew over her head from behind the coach.

"I thought I'd make myself more comfortable. I mean, we're all alone, I'm hotter than ever for you- and now there's _zero_ chance I can get you pregnant for the next . .How long?" Shawn asked as he jumped back over it

" About seven and a half months. OK, why not?" Katy replied with a laugh as Shawn wrapped his arms and legs around her form

"Let's make this privacy as unforgettable as Fiji!" Shawn laughed as the downstairs neighbors started to wonder when the elephant stampede would end in the Hunter apartment.


	2. Spun Hard By the Circle of Life

Spun Hard By the Circle of Life (Chapter Two)

A/N- _I know some sites say that Maya's Gammy Hart is supposed to be Katy's mother-in-law but since Maya and Katy lived with her, I think it's much more likely she's linked to Maya via Katy instead of through Kermit_.

"So, Topanga's cool with you coming in a little late after we spring the news on your mom?" Shawn asked the next morning as they were riding the subway.

"Sure, she's done so much for Maya and me, she has to be the next one to tell!" Katy explained as they started to step off the subway car and walk towards the stairs.

"So why did you tell Topanga before me, Maya then her?" Shawn asked.

"I didn't plan it that way! She guessed it about the same time I did. How could I have begun to lie?" Katy asked.

"Guess you're right," Shawn sighed.

"You're damn right, I am- Mr. Let Cory Eavesdrop on Our Intimate Time While I Tell You About Our Baby!" Katy fumed.

"It has no buttons!" Shawn protested as he held up his Smartphone while they made their way to outside almost directly across the street from the Rosemont Get Better Soon Center at the same time an ambulance pulled away from its front door.

"At least it wasn't a conference call," Katy half-laughed.

"Like Riley made Topanga's news about the future Auggie," Shawn snorted.

" Did Cory tell you?" Katy asked.

"No, I was made part of that conference call with Panga Bear and Cor-Coa!" Shawn laughed.

At once, Katy gasped.

"What's wrong, Babe?" Shawn asked.

"My Smartphone- and it's Dr. Craeg from Rosemont!" Katy gasped as she clutched Shawn's right hand while holding the Smartphone up to her face with her left hand.

"Ms. Hart ,you need to come to the Rosemont's front desk nursing station straight away!" Dr. Craeg insisted via Smartphone.

"Mommy! Is she alright? She's getting better," Katy sniffed.

"Just come here straight away and all will be explained, " Dr. Craeg commanded as he ended the conversation.

" Babe, we just saw her on Sunday and she was doing fine," Shawn gulped.

"Do you think she's. . . alright?" Katy sniffed.

"I wish I _could_ think that but I'm here for you whatever the news and we'll face it together," Shawn proclaimed as he clutched her hand and kissed her on the lips as they walked in the door.

"Ms. Hart. ." the reception nurse called out.

"That's Mrs. Hunter now. Where's Mommy? "Katy asked as she ran up to the desk.

"You'll have to go to the consult room next to here for Dr. Craeg to tell you," the nurse insisted as she pointed to the closed door to the right.

" Please tell me!" Katy sobbed.

"Ms. Hart. . Mrs. Hunter, you'll **have** to go to the consult room!" the nurse droned again.

"I think you already know, Babe," Shawn sighed.

"NO! Oh, Shawn! My poor Mommy!" Katy bawled while Shawn held her tight and rocked her as they walked toward the consult room.

.

. .

Abigail Adam's High School

"So Britain didn't go to war with the Union because Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert wrote that very diplomatic letter to the US asking our nation to release the captured British subjects from that intercepted Confederate blockade runner boat then went directly to his deathbed and died. Our nation was saved and Great Britain was our ally from then on but Queen Victoria was shattered by his death and never the same after that," Cory explained to the class with the words 'Trent Affair' written behind him on the blackboard then had his Smartphone chime and picked it up from the desk then read the text.

"What is it, Mr. Matthews?" Farkle Minkus asked.

"Maya will be excused from school for at least the rest of the day and tomorrow," Cory shuddered as he read the text from the principal.

"Awesome, Maya!" Zay Babineaux exclaimed while giving a beaming Maya a high five.

"No, not this way, Zay," Cory explained.

"What?"Zay asked as Maya and Riley shook their heads in puzzlement.

"Maya, your parents are coming here to retrieve you in a moment ," Cory started to explain.

"Parents? What did I do this time?" Maya gulped.

"You did nothing. Know that I and my entire family and I hope all of us here will be here with you in spirit," Cory sighed as he walked up to Maya's desk and patted her on the left shoulder while looking at everyone else in the class.

"Mr. Matthews, what's going. ..?" Maya asked as she saw Shawn and Katy open the door then walk towards her.

"Oh, Baby Girl," Katy sobbed while hugging Maya.

"Mom?," Maya sniffed.

"We need to go. Sorry for disrupting . . ." Shawn started to say.

"Don't even think that! We're here for all of you," Cory proclaimed while Katy then Shawn who nodded then mouthed 'thanks' to Cory who nodded back while the three walked out of Cory's classroom.

. .

.

"Poor Gammy! She'd had that stroke months ago and they said she was still too weak to get out of that rehab center to see your wedding but she was getting better. If only I had gone with you and Mom to see her Sunday instead of hanging with Riley and Farkle to see that dumb movie," Maya sobbed while Shawn and Katy sat on either side of her on their apartment couch a little while later.

"Maya, don't blame yourself! It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault," Shawn sighed.

"But now my baby brother or sister won't ever get to meet her and . .. " Maya sobbed.

" I know, " Katy sniffed.

" I wish we'd called her last night to tell her about him or her instead of . . .doing stuff," Shawn sighed.

" What now, Daddy?" Maya asked.

"We'll have a celebration of her life on Saturday, then we'll have to help your mother settle everything about Gammy," Shawn explained as he clutched Maya's hand.

"Settle?" Maya asked.

"Your Gammy lived a long life and we'll have to pick out the most special treasures from her house that Gammy would have wanted us to tend to," Katy explained.

" I'll bet you never imagined you'd have to deal with two soggy shoulders a year ago, Daddy, " Maya sniffed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Shawn proclaimed as he wrapped his arms around them and hugged both of them on the shoulders.

Meanwhile, Katy was a more than a little uneasy with the idea of saying goodbye to the woman she'd called Mommy her entire life and even more disturbed at what she might find.


	3. Little Girl Lost

Little Girl Lost- Chapter Three

A/N- _Although some websites have given Gammy Hart the name of Angela, I think it would be more fitting to give her the name of Charlotte Lubotsky Hart in tribute to that wonderful performer Charlotte Rae who made the most of what would prove to be her last role. _

Saturday afternoon after 'Gammy' Hart's main celebration of life, Katy, Shawn, Maya and all their friends went back to her old house.

"I thought I'd one day bring her back home," Katy sniffed as they walked through the front door.

"Most illogical to do that now, especially with Mrs. Hart cremated," Farkle Minkus noted.

"At least no one broke in and everything's intact after all these months, " Shawn added while he closed the door behind after the last of them entered.

" I can't believe I'm back here and she's gone," Katy sobbed.

"Look at it positively, with a single family dwelling in a renewed urban district, you could easily use it finance Maya's college and maybe your retirement plan. That is if the hospitalization, convalescent and funeral costs don't take out too much, " Farkle added.

"Farkle, "Maya sighed as Shawn walked Katy to the large living room and guided her to sit down.

"Take him OUT of here!" Shawn boiled while Katy broke into sobs again.

"Come on, Farkle. We're supposed to help find what Grammy Hart left behind then help decide what she'd have wanted us to have the most before making the best use of the rest," Maya insisted as she and Riley led the other teens away.

"As odd as it sounds for me to defend a Minkus, he meant well," Topanga sighed.

"I know," Shawn nodded while he clutched Katy's hand who nodded despite crying.

.

"We can't go in there! That's Gammy's bedroom!" Maya pleaded as Riley and Zay started to go in there.

"She's not going to use it . . .now," Farkle sighed.

" There may be stuff in there she may have wanted for your future baby brother. ." Lucas started to say.

"Sister!" Riley interjected.

"But Mrs. Hart wasn't informed of her newest family member before her demise," Farkle protested.

"Just go with it," Lucas groaned.

"OK, we'll go in, " Maya sighed as they opened the door.

"What a cool handstitched, quilted bedspread! " Riley exclaimed as they entered the bedroom.

"It must be at least from Antebellum times!" Farkle added.

"Anti what?" Zay asked.

" Before the Civil War," Lucas explained.

"She won it at the county fair during the time she and Mom lived in Arkansas before returning here," Maya recalled.

" I never understood why she moved Aunt Katy to Arkansas for a few years then brought her back here," Riley pondered.

"Gammy said there was a boy Mom crushed on when she was twelve that Gammy wanted to keep her away from, " Maya explained.

"All this stuff from when she was a WAAC in World War II and when she was a starving actress in the 1940's and 50's on live television," Riley gasped as she saw many pictures of 'Gammy' in uniform and costume from those eras on top of the bedside table and on top of the sets dresser drawers.

"Such a cool quilt- an excellent example of mid 19th century rural American cottage craftsmanship," Farkle beamed as he started to pull it off the other blankets on top of the bed.

"Farkle, NO!" Maya exclaimed.

" I think she may liked you to have had it, Maya," Riley pleaded.

"Yeah, but he got it all wrinkled and I'm going to have to pull it out to smooth it out," Maya fumed while trying to restraighten the quilt

"Look, there's a box under the bed!" Zay exclaimed while the others also saw beneath the bed for the first time with the quilt removed.

"A jewelry box! It's beautiful!" Riley cooed as she took the 2 foot by 1 foot box from beneath and handed it to Maya.

" Made of inlaid mahogany wood and ivory. Most ecologically unsound at the current time but considered quite fashionable in the day," Farkle explained.

"Thank you, Farkle," Riley sighed.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Lucas asked.

"I guess, " Maya answered.

"It's locked tight and there' s no key for it anywhere in this room," Riley groaned as looked for one while she tried to help Maya open the box.

" As if that would stop a Hunter!" Maya smirked as she jiggled the lock a few seconds which caused it to spring open.

"Maya?!" Zay gasped.

" Daddy made me promise to use this skill only for good when he taught me and I can only pass it on to Hunter progeny," Maya laughed.

" I thought there'd be rings, necklaces and jewels galore in there but there's just a bunch of pictures and stuff. Nothing of monetary value to speak of, " Farkle scoffed at the contents.

"Look! This looks like Aunt Katy but what a dorky prom dress! She must have stolen it out of a **Sixteen Candles **party " Riley laughed-as she held up the 5 by 7 inch framed picture that had been on top, directly beneath the jewelry box lid.

" And that giant hair helmet looks like she's a **Charlie's Angel**!" Zay while cracking up.

"It's NOT Mom but maybe it's her cousin or something from the 80's!" Maya pondered.

"Beneath this one is another one of her in that dress standing next to your Gammy Hart when her hair was still red," Riley pondered.

"And there's bunches of pictures of her in this box-all the way back to when she was a baby," Lucas exclaimed- as he thumbed his way through the box.

"Who could she be and who's her cool Latino date with the mullet and sideburns next to her in the sky blue tux?" Riley asked.

"She's quite attractive but illogically with rather sad eyes despite the festive occasion, "Farkle noted.

" Are you sure it's not Aunt Katy?" Riley asked.

"It can't be! Read the caption beneath the picture," Farkle gulped.

" ' Martin Peter Alveira and Katharine Christine Daly- Junior Prom King and Queen.' Who are they?" Riley asked.

"And why would Mrs. Hart have their pictures in a box under her bed?" Zay asked.

" I have no idea," Maya gulped.

"What are you all doing here?" Shawn asked as he walked from the hall into Gammy's bedroom.

" Daddy, we just found this box with these pictures here," Maya explained.

"Whoa! I've seen that picture before!" Shawn gasped as the junior prom pic caught his eye.

"Impossible odds for you to have seen it before, Mr. Hunter," Farkle scoffed.

"Look at the bottom line of the caption, 'John Adams High, Philadelphia, Pa, 1982,' The school lined the walls with them all the way back to the 1920's, Brainiac Junior!" Shawn snorted as he picked up the picture.

"We need to take it to Mom and see if she has any idea who this girl could be," Maya insisted as,she handed Shawn the jewelry box while they all exited 'Gammy' Hart's bedroom and went back to the living room where Maya was sitting with Cory and Topanga.

"Babe, the kids found this box with all these pictures inside under Gammy's bed," Shawn explained as he brought it to her.

"You OPENED that box? Shawn, how could you!" Katy sniffed.

"He didn't! It was me, " Maya explained.

"Oh, great! You taught my daughter a Hunter trick!" Katy snapped.

"Our daughter and I told her to use it only for good!" Shawn protested.

"Mom, you can ream Daddy and me later. Right now, we're wondering if you could tell us who this 80's Valley Girl could be in all these pictures with so many of them of her with Gammy," Maya pleaded.

" I have no idea. I've never seen the inside of this box before and. ." Katy sputtered as she hurriedly looked through those pictures before she came to a cardboard object among the pictures and gasped.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Topanga gulped.

"It's. .. a funeral service program," Katy shuddered as she picked it up.

"Oh, no! That beautiful girl's dead!" Riley sniffed as she saw Katharine Daly's prom picture reprinted on it.

"Oh,NO! NO! NO! Mommy! How COULD you?! It CAN'T be! It CAN'T be!" Katy sobbed as she ran out of the room and shut herself in the nearby bathroom having thrown the funeral service card on the floor.

"Uncle Shawn, why is Aunt Katy so upset?" Auggie asked.

" I don't know, Aug Man, " Shawn replied patting Auggie's right shoulder while Cory picked the funeral service card up.

"Should I read it out loud?" Cory asked as the other adults looked at the caption in stunned silence.

"You might as well, Corrence. We're **all** going to need to help Katy deal with this one and we need to know what she's dealing with," Shawn sighed while Topanga nodded in stunned silence as they all looked at the program with the prom picture reprinted.

" '_DALY, Katharine Christine (May 8,1964- November 3,1982). Suddenly taken. Only daughter of Charlotte Lubotsy Daly Hart and the late Rupert Daly. Also, survived by stepfather Jordan Hart, fiance Martin Alveira and. _.. ' I just can't," Cory shuddered as he looked away from it.

" ' . . _and infant daughter . . .__Katy Grace'_! Oh, poor Mom!" Maya gasped as she glanced over Cory's right shoulder.


	4. Seeking Answers

Seeking Answers (Chapter Four)

Cory and Topanga's Living Room (NYC), Late Saturday Evening.

"Auggie's asleep at last," Cory noted while sitting on the couch next to Shawn after having brought them each of them a juice bottle from the kitchen.

"I don't know how you two keep up with that tsunami," Shawn laughed- as he opened the cap of his bottled juice.

"It's not easy but we think it's worth it," Cory half-laughed.

"Does it ever get easier?" Shawn asked.

" Oh, I almost forgot you're and Katy are getting set for your own rollercoaster. You sure you want this?" Cory asked as he opened the cap of his own bottle.

" Yeah, I DO want to raise someone from babyhood despite the not waiting and I couldn't have picked a better mother than Katy but what if I'm not as good a father?" Shawn asked as he sipped his raspberry-lime juice.

" You already ARE to Maya!" Cory exclaimed.

"You think so?" Shawn asked.

"I sure DO, Shawnny! And you saved her and Katy from wasting any more time with Katy pretending Kermit was better and Maya winding up thinking Katy didn't want her around. That's a very good step, Bud!" Cory proclaimed.

"Thanks! I guess because I wasted so much of my childhood pinning on my folks becoming better than they were, I didn't want another kid to wrongly think her worthy mother wasn't. But that's not the same as raising a tiny baby from Day One," Shawn sighed.

" You're already a better parent to Maya than her bio dad ever was and _he_ knew her from Day One so consider it an educator's vote of confidence!" Cory laughed.

" You think Topanga and Riley taking Katy and Maya to that chick flick will really help them through losing Gammy Hart and learning about Katy's real mom?" Shawn asked.

" Nah but the break in the angst will help," Cory shrugged- as he sipped on his grapefruit juice.

" I just hate that we're shooting in the dark and don't know anything more about her besides what Gammy Hart saved in that box," Shawn sighed.

"What are you talking about? Your late teen bio mom-in-law was from John Adams High- as in Hail to Thee Our Alma Mater!"Cory scoffed as he clinked his juice bottle to Shawn's.

"You don't mean. . .?" Shawn gulped.

" Yep! A day trip to Feenyland would help clear things up! " Cory laughed.

" I was hoping you wouldn't say that," Shawn sighed.

"Why? Those dots virtually connected themselves the second you saw the prom picture! And Feeny's the Encyclopedia Minkus of John Adams!" Cory laughed.

" I know, but I was hoping to solve something out on my own without having to bring Mr. Feeny into it," Shawn groaned as he finished sipping his juice.

"Don't let false pride get in the way. Besides, this is important to Katy, Maya and. .. Baby Cory perhaps?" Cory laughed.

"Bro, you're not seriously calling dibs on names! Me and Katy haven't even started that convo," Shawn scoffed.

" Well, when you do,you know the best name you could put into that convo," Cory snorted as he finished his juice.

" You want a Baby Cory? Why don't you name your own next born that?" Shawn exclaimed.

" Because the minute I cut Baby Auggie's cord, then put him in Topanga's arms, she looked me in the eye with pure love and said 'Cory, you know I love you, Riley and this beautiful boy more than anyone or anything but , from now on, if you want any future deliveries, you'll have to call Fed Ex!'" Cory laughed.

"Why are you laughing to keep from crying?" Shawn asked.

"Because almost as soon as she said that she pointed out that she was going to need to get stitches and then get them removed down there so that would be the perfect time for me to also get snipped in the same sort of area," Cory laughed and cried.

"Oh, man! No worries. Even if you're a gelding instead of a stallion, I'll always think of you as a stallion," Shawn sighed as he hugged Cory.

"And, hey, now we can do it more than ever with no worries- at least when we get time to do it," Cory laughed.

"Way TMI- even for you, Corman! Speaking of time, I guess we'd better try getting there tomorrow so could you . ..?" Shawn asked.

"Say no more, Bro! Of course, we'll keep Maya with us while you and Katy go the Philly way. She used to more or less live here anyway," Cory shrugged.

.

Later that night. .

"But why can't I go with you two to Philly?" Maya asked.

"First of all as your Uncle Cory pointed out, you've got three days of make up homework to catch up on before Monday morning and second, we're there to help your mother learn family history- not have you swoon over Joshua Matthews," Shawn insisted.

"Daddy, I'm not a baby in a bubble! I can take tough news," Maya scoffed.

"Maybe so, but since Katharine Daly seems to have been my mother, I'm the one who needs to learn the news firsthand before it gets shared," Katy insisted.

"Well, I'm old enough to keep watch over our place on my own!" Maya insisted.

"You're kidding if you think that's happening," Katy scoffed.

"Aw Daddy, can't you get Mom to be fair?" Maya begged.

"Divide and conquer. Good try but no and, as a now-grown latchkey, kid I know exactly what kind of trouble can happen," Shawn replied.

"I'm old enough not to leave the bathtub running before dashing off the airport," Maya scoffed.

"It was just that one time," Shawn groaned while Katy, Cory, Topanga, Maya and Riley all glared at him.

"It was while you were leaving for your honeymoon and I wound up paying for your downstairs neighbor's replastering and ceiling lights," Cory fumed.

"Cory, you're on our side. Remember?" Shawn pleaded.

"OK, Maya, you need to stay here with us and catch up on your homework while your parents do the overnight roadtrip. Shawnny, you still owe me for the plaster and lights. Good enough?" Cory asked.

"Yeah," both Shawn and Maya groaned.

"Now I've given them a common enemy to keep them from fighting each other. My work here's done," Cory laughed.

"Mom, how does Dad get annoying and charming at the very same time?" Riley asked.

"It's a talent I've never quite understood but he could made good use of it had he wanted to be lawyer," Topanga laughed.

.

.

Early Sunday Afternoon, Alan and Amy Matthewses' Front Door, Philadephia.

"Shawn, Katy! Great seeing you two again!" Alan Matthews exclaimed as he and Amy opened the door while he shook the younger couple's hands before he and Amy hugged each of them.

"We couldn't stop in Philadephia without seeing the two of you- and we wanted to tell you the news in person, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews!" Shawn explained.

"Cory, Topanga and our National Enquirer granddaughter Riley already texted us the news. How wonderful for you!" Amy laughed as the four of them walked into the living room.

"But we wanted to share this with you in person since you two have been the best guardians Shawn ever had," Katy explained.

"Well, come on in! Take a load off your feet before we catch up!" Alan invited.

"Never stay on your feet a minute longer then need be when pregnant. Trust me," Amy laughed.

"I went through this with Maya. I'm fine, Mrs. Matthews," Katy laughed as she and Shawn sat down.

"Well, get ready for grey hairs! I've earned mine with my four!" Alan laughed.

"More than a few strands came from me, Mr. Matthews," Shawn admitted.

"Well, the five of you have been worth his grey and my tint," Amy laughed.

" Where are you staying?" Alan asked.

"We've got a good Airbnb booked a few blocks away," Shawn explained while pointing to his right with his right index finger.

"You'll do nothing of the kind! We'll always have room for you and Katy here!" Alan beamed while Amy nodded.

"Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, as nice an offer as it is. We don't want to impose," Katy pleaded.

"It wouldn't be imposing! You can sleep in Morgan's old room! She kept it far cleaner than any of her brothers ever did theirs," Amy offered.

"I'd sleep in the treehouse if you offered," Shawn declared.

"You wound up doing so more than once!" Amy laughed.

"Shawn, let's take them up on this and cancel the Airbnb," Katy pleaded.

"OK, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, we'll do it - as long you accept our invite to stay at our apartment whenever you're in NYC!" Shawn insisted.

"Deal!" Alan declared while Amy nodded then the two of them shook Shawn's hand,

"I'll bring the overnight bags from the car inside but before we get too settled here, we'll need to go to the Feenys to see him to get some answers," Shawn explained.

"Answers? Sounds intriguing," Amy laughed.

"We'll fill you in over dinner- and we're taking you out. We insist!" Katy declared.

" There's an Afghani restaurant with great online ratings nearby. Want us to try that out?"Shawn asked.

"Sure," Amy declared.

"Then I'll put in the reservations now!" Shawn declared as he did so with his Smartphone.

" Whoa! I used to dream you'd grow up to be like this. I'm proud of you!" Alan insisted as he hugged Shawn.

"Thanks! I'll be right back, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews," Shawn insisted as he dashed out the front door to his car, took the bags out then carried them up to Morgan's room.

" We look forward to continuing our catching up later on but we need to be meeting Mr. Feeny so we'll give him your best," Katy insisted as they started walking through the house to the kitchen.

"He's just next door," Alan laughed

"Forgive us for not saying it before but we're sorry about you losing your mother, Katy," Amy sighed as she hugged her.

"Thank you but you don't know the half of it," Katy sighed.

"Literally," Shawn added as they walked out the Matthewses' kitchen door to the Feenys' back door.

"What could they have meant by that?" Amy asked.

"You got me," Alan replied as puzzled as his wife as he shook his head.

.

"Why are we going by way of the back door?" Katy asked.

"We've always gone to that way to Mr. Feeny's. Beats me why!" Shawn chuckled as he knocked on that door.

"I've got it, George!" 80-something Lila Bolander Kincaid Feeny was heard shouting before opening the back door.

"Hello, Dean Bolander. .er Mrs. Feeny, I'd like you to meet my wife Katy," Shawn stammered.

"I'm long since retired and we're all adults so I think it would be silly if you and Katy didn't call me 'Lila'," Lila laughed

"It's nice to meet you, Lila, " Katy declared as the 89-year-old George Feeny joined his wife Lila and the Feenys led the Hunters to their formal living room with a blue willow 19th century porcelain tea set on their coffee table.

"Great seeing you again, George!" Shawn proclaimed as he shook George Feeny's hand (careful not to crush it).

"Likewise, Mr. Hunter and I think it would be downright hilarious if you didn't continue addressing me as 'Mr. Feeny'," Mr. Feeny declared as the three of them sat down with Mr. Feeny between Shawn and Katy

" I always say you can take the Boston baked bean out of Boston but you can't take the Boston out of the baked bean! " Lila laughed as she shook her head and hugged Mr. Feeny then kissed him on the cheek before departing to the kitchen.

"Bean?" Mr. Feeny sputtered

"It beats being a cream pie!" Lila called from the kitchen.

"She keeps my pomposity to a minimum, to be sure," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" We wanted to tell you our big news in person seeing that you married us- even if Cory and Topanga or your neighbor Matthewses may have already phoned you about it,"Katy declared.

"Oh, I was made aware of your being in the family way via your _de facto _niece Riley's texts " Mr. Feeny explained.

"Actually, I'm the one who texts in this family. If it were up to George, we'd still be getting our news by smoke signal!" Lila called in from the kitchen.

" Regardless of the news' routing,allow me to express my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the two of you, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter," Mr. Feeny as he shook both their hands.

"Thank you,sir. You have no idea how much this means to me. If someone had told me I'd one day be sitting here next to my gorgeous wife in your stately living room with you and your lovely wife about to have tea, I'd have died laughing, " Shawn chuckled.

"I had more optimism . However, Mr. Hunter, we're not about to be served tea," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" Tea?! Are you kidding? Caffeine drains calcium and ,at our ages, we need to keep all the calcium we can- as do you two and your impending little one, " Lila declared as she brought in the large porcelain tea pot on a silver tray with tiny snack plates before sitting in the comfortable chair opposite Mr. Feeny.

"So, what's in here? "Shawn asked- as Lila poured.

"It's a kale smoothie with fresh squeezed wheat grass juice in the cream dispensary along with some carob and goji berry raw bars," Lila proclaimed as she poured the thick green smoothie into the tea cups

"Thanks, Lila," Katy gingerly gulped as she tried to sip the kale smoothie.

"You know, I'd have also thought Topanga Lawrence-Matthews would have grown up to serve this instead of running a bakery," Shawn laughed as he sipped the kale smoothie from the tea cup and tried to keep from puckering up.

" Excellent examples of one only being able to count on the unexpected happening," Mr. Feeny noted as he also gingerly sipped the kale smoothie.

"Mr. Feeny, that's the other reason for our visit. Last week, I lost the only mother I ever knew," Katy sighed.

"The one who Maya called 'Gammy Hart', "Shawn added.

"Oh, yes. If I recall correctly, she had had a stroke two weeks prior and was unable to leave the hospital to witness your wedding. I'm so sorry that this has happened to you, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, and that she won't be around to see your newest one's arrival" Mr. Feeny sighed as he patted Katy and Shawn on the shoulder while Lila hugged Katy.

"Thank you, Mr. Feeny and Lila. But in the process of organizing her belongings before selling her house, we made the discovery of a hidden chapter in our family we hope you might be able to shed some more light on," Shawn explained.

"Katy, I thought 'Hart' was your former married surname," Lila pondered

"It was,Lila. Believe it or not, I thought somehow both of us having the same last name from birth would help us stay a family. That's not why I'm here, though," Katy explained.

_A/N- Yeah, I know there's the name of 'Clutterbucket' kicking around in Maya's family on the show but I really dislike the name which no one else in the world seems to possess it so for this AU let's just have it that Kermit and Katy just happened to both have had the surname of 'Hart' when they married though via no known common ancestors and just get on with it._

"We found this picture of someone who'd gone to John Adams High and we were hoping you could help us, Mr. Feeny," Shawn pleaded- as Katy handed him her Smartphone while Shawn started scrolling to find the image.

" I'd genuinely like to help you but there were thousands of students during my academic career who passed through those halls and, despite the Prevagen Lila gives me, I'm not sure my memory is as keen as in my salad years," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" Just look at it, Mr. Feeny, Please," Katy asked.

"Well, I have no faith in the resolution of the screens on these most recent technical marvels but I'll see what I can from this," Mr. Feeny glumly stated as he took off his glasses then held up a magnifying glass as looked at the Junior Prom picture of Katharine Daly and Martin Alveira from 1982.

For a second, Mr. Feeny wrinkled his nose trying to see if there was anything familiar in the picture then he gasped.

"You're Baby Katy!" Mr. Feeny exclaimed as he stared at Katy then back at the picture with a stunned expression on his face.

"Your face looks just like Senator Eric's did when T.J. Murphy revealed himself to be Tommy on the Farkle podcast," Shawn gulped.

"Yeah, it does. I saw that Farkle podcast,too. What's going on, George?" Lila asked while Shawn and Katy nodded.


	5. Feeny's Revelations

Feenys' Revelations (Chapter Five)-

Sunday Afternoon- Living Room of George and Lila Feeny, Philadelphia,Pa.

"Lila, put on those spectacles that don't dim a jot of your beauty and look at this," George Feeny insisted as he held up the image of Katharine Daly and Martin Alveira's Junior Prom picture from 1982 from Katy's Smartphone.

"Very well, but only because this could be important for these young folks- not because you're attempting to boss me, George!" Lila conceded as she took out the glasses she had secreted in her grey blouse pocket after wiping them with a handkerchief she'd had in the pocket of her khaki slacks.

" Well?" Mr. Feeny asked.

"It's Katharine D, as I knew her back then before. .. George, I'm not sure I should say .. " Lila gasped.

"You'll get your time when the time is right- just like Orson Welles had **Citizen Kane**'s ruined ex-wife postpone her side of the story of his fall until after the others had told of Mr. Kane's rise," Mr. Feeny cautioned.

"**Citizen Kane**? What does that have to do with Katy's mother? Apples and oranges," Shawn scoffed.

" Chronology can help make more sense of any account both fictional and not. Am I right, Mr. Feeny?" Katy asked.

" You've got a bright one, Mr. Hunter!" Mr. Feeny half-laughed.

" I know. She got through to me as few have before," Shawn admitted.

" So, Mr. Feeny, you first met Katharine. .. I mean . . .my mother when she came to your high school, right?"Katy asked.

"In actuality, I had made her acquaintance off an on before that time. My late first wife Lilian became acquainted with her mother, then known as Charlotte Lubotsky Daly shortly after. .. our own offspring was not born," Mr. Feeny deeply sighed as he took off his glasses and wiped them and sniffed slightly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Feeny," Katy sighed as she hugged his shoulders while Shawn patted his right knee and Lila patted his back

"Now, now, Lila, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter. It was quite a long time ago and I've had to learn to make my peace with what happened and not dwell on what might have been since that time," Mr. Feeny sputtered as he cleared his throat while the Hunters and Lila looked at each other and nodded- not entirely believing that he was totally reconciled to what had happened.

"Mr. Feeny, I had no idee-," Shawn gasped.

"No need for pity. In any case, Lilian made Charlotte's acquaintance while seeking the services of the same obstetric physician. Charlotte had been married to her first husband Rupert Daly for some ten years and wanted a child,too," Mr. Feeny recalled as he sipped on the kale smoothie with a grimace while trying to make it more palatable with the carob and goji berry raw bar.

"Until I found Katharine Daly's obituary, I had thought Jordan Hart was Mommy's. I mean.her Mommy's only husband and . ." Katy gulped as she scrolled her Smartphone over to that image.

" He was neither that nor your father but your step-grandfather but I'll explain in more detail when the narrative is best suited," Mr. Feeny cautioned.

"Very well. Go on, sir,please," Katy sighed - as she sipped some of her kale smoothie but somewhat indifferent to the taste.

" In any case, after some time , the obstetric physician's course of treatment worked for Charlotte enabling her at age 37 to bear her daughter Katharine, "Mr. Feeny recalled.

" So. . Katharine was a wanted baby, right?" Katy asked as she noticed Mr. Feeny emphasizing Gammy Hart's given name.

"Absolutely. Charlotte and Rupert Daly were overjoyed while the late Mrs. Feeny and I were happy that they had success in that endeavor," Mr. Feeny recalled with the other three nonverbally noting not a little sadness on his part in pronouncing the word 'they' despite his best effort to conceal it.

" So you knew her when she was born! Was she a happy baby? Maya was despite our chaotic beginnings," Katy recalled.

" Yes, I can attest that she was a healthy, intelligent and beautiful baby, to be sure ,but my personal acquaintance with her and her family thereafter became somewhat sporadic. Once in a while, Lilian would have the Dalys over for bridge and the four of us would take in occasional concerts at the Academy of Music. Your grandmother Charlotte had a laugh that could pierce through the loudest orchestral movements!" Mr. Feeny recalled with a grin while shaking his head.

"Mommy sure did until her stroke! She always prided herself on being clearly heard in the remotest theater rafters," Katy half-laughed and half-sniffed.

" She had been a singer and theater person from an early age and wanted young Katharine to do the same. She took over Katharine's kindergarten dance recital and directed every single student and even Lilian herself," Mr. Feeny laughed.

"We found some of Katharine Daly's ballet recital pictures,too. Have a look!" Katy insisted as she scrolled to show the Feenys images of Katharine in different costumes from about ages 3 to roughly nine.

"So the late Mrs. Feeny had become a kindergarten teacher and Katharine became her pupil, right?" Shawn asked as he sipped some of his kale smoothie from the tea cup.

"That is correct, Mr. Hunter," Mr. Feeny noted while looking at the some of the pictures of Katharine.

" But did little Katharine enjoy performing? I know that I always have and so has Maya !" Katy asked while scrolling Katharine's baby pictures.

" Lilian always thought Katharine took more after her somewhat shy accountant father, Rupert Daly in that regard instead of her . .boisterous mother and attempted to advise Charlotte to not push her too far in that direction but Charlotte stayed convinced that since Katharine was a beauty, had the raw talent and had been named for Miss Hepburn, that she'd one day outgrow her shyness and embrace the stage with Charlotte's same gusto," Mr. Feeny recalled.

"So was Gammy Hart a pushy stage mother?" Shawn asked while avoiding Katy's glare.

"I never saw or heard of her being overtly harsh to her young daughter in that regard. But Rupert Daly suddenly died of a ruptured appendix when Katharine was nine. Lilian and I went to his service and I could tell that Katharine already was not as docile as Charlotte would have liked," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" But she just lost her father!" Katy gasped as she put down her teacup.

" I know they both were understandably quite devastated and we lost touch with them after that and neither of us would see Charlotte or Katharine again until she became a student in my Junior English class," Mr. Feeny recalled with a deep sigh.

" How was she as a student?" Katy asked as she ate a carob and goji berry rawbar.

" She was still a very bright girl but, at that time, seemed distracted and troubled. I knew that her mother had remarried Jordan Hart, an industrial engineer, when Katharine was about eleven but she kept her own counsel about any troubles at home. Does that sound familiar, Mr. Hunter?" Mr. Feeny asked.

" OK, I've had plenty of time to realize that that wasn't the smartest move on my part back then but . .." Shawn sputtered.

"But Shawn survived his teens," Katy pleaded.

"Yes, to his credit, Mr. Hunter did. However, Katharine Daly was among those who were not that fortunate," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" So are you saying Katharine's not sharing her troubles doomed her?" Shawn asked.

"Not in of itself, I admit," Mr. Feeny pondered.

"Did she share them with her fiance Martin?" Katy asked.

"Fiance?! HA!" Lila snorted.

" Lila, you know more about Katharine and Martin Alveira ?" Katy asked.

" Well, before I became a Dean at Pennbrook, I had worked to help young people in different capacities for a few decades," Lila recalled.

" Wow! As Maya would say, you really rock! Being a career woman when it was barely acceptable. Awesome you were a trailblazing feminist," Katy exclaimed as she shook Lila's hand.

"No trailblazing . Just the age old reasons of trying to support myself and give some purpose to my life while my then-husband Curtis Kincaid was on the other side of the planet attempting to be a proto Indiana Jones while leaving me high and dry," Lila scoffed.

"Lila, you helped countless young people long before you set foot at Pennbrook which is but one reason I happily have forsaken all others for your company," Mr. Feeny beamed.

" Go on, George! "Lila scoffed.

"I think the Junior Prom could be key in this," Shawn pondered..

"So what do you know about the Junior Prom of 1982, Mr. Feeny?" Katy asked as she scrolled back to that image.

" We were renovating the gym that spring so we had to push it back to January of that year," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"What difference does that make?" Shawn scoffed.

"That's about the time Mrs. Hunter was conceived by Miss Daly and the somewhat . .roguish Mr. Alveira," Mr. Feeny sighed as he first pointed to Katy then back to the image of her then-teenaged biological parents.

" So they ARE my parents instead of Jordan and Charlotte Hart," Katy exclaimed with a deep sigh.

" Yes, and I'm sorry to say that theirs was a bond that was not fated to be as starred as the one with the future Mr. and Mrs. Cory Matthews," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"So did he break their engagement after. ..?" Katy asked.

"What engagement?! " Lila snorted.

" Not exactly. He bragged to his friends about their time spent together while she was ridiculed over it by them and nearly all the girls. I shared with Charlotte my suspicions that Katharine was, what's now referred to, self-medicating with alcohol and the lot,"Mr. Feeny sighed.

"How did Mommy. ..Mommy Charlotte react?" Katy asked.

"As so many other parents have done down the ages in that situation. She protested 'Not MY daughter' with far more vehemence than needed to declare mere disbelief," Mr. Feeny recalled.

"But how did Katharine and . .Mommy Charlotte react when finding out I was on the way?" Katy asked.

" If I recall correctly, both were shocked initially but then your grandmother wanted the best for both of you and could no longer ignore the many signs. That's when Charlotte called Lilian in desperation who in turn called. .." Mr. Feeny started.

"Forgive me but I can't violate a client's confidentiality even all these years after my retirement and the client not being in this world," Lila sighed.

"Client? What are you talking about?!" Katy asked.

"Wait! You knew Mr. Feeny's first wife?" Shawn asked.

"It wasn't too big a pool for women educators in Philly back then," Lila recalled.

"You think you're surprised Lila knew Lilian? It was news to me I didn't discover until after we got married!" Mr. Feeny chuckled.

" Mr. Feeny, Lila and Shawn, as fun as that bit of trivia is, it has nothing to do with my mother," Katy exclaimed not a bit annoyed.

" I guess we got sidetracked a bit," Lila sighed..

"Please, I'll never meet her. If you could tell me anything about my mother Katharine Daly, I'd be most appreciative and not harshly judge her," Katy pleaded.

"Very well. Forgive me for being the bearer of bad news but Lilian put Charlotte in touch with me because she knew her daughter Katharine had become an alcoholic and had experimented with marijuana and harder drugs," Lila sighed while she took Katy's hand.

"Oh,no! " Katy gasped.

"At that time, Lila was a counselor at a detoxification center for youths," Mr. Feeny explained.

"She wasn't what you'd call a 'bad girl'. Of course, many of them that others thought were bad weren't actually underneath- if you actually listened to them," Lila insisted.

" So why was she on drugs? Was it her stepfather? Her rejecting boyfriend? And .did she want me?" Katy sniffed in the tiniest voice.

"She DID want you- just as George says her mother Charlotte had wanted her and I know you wanted Maya and want this baby. You should know that, Katy. That's why she worked so hard to get clean for months so you'd be healthy," Lila recalled as she clasped Katy's right hand.

"So do you know I was healthy when I was born? What about her? And where was my bio father Martin?" Katy asked.

" She had been clean for months by that point and had stopped using early enough so you were born completely healthy," Lila recalled.

" Something we were all quite relieved and grateful for," Mr. Feeny added.

" Where was Martin? Did he take off and leave her like . . Jordan and Kermit?" Katy asked.

"I'm sorry to say that he never was there for your mother. She had had this idea that she could escape her sad home with her indifferent stepfather and a an . .. overwhelming mother by having a torrid romance with hearts and flowers forever but Martin wasn't a lasting Latin lover," Lila sighed.

" I get it! She let him use sex to try to get romance while he used romance to get sex. _Men_! " Katy boiled as she hit Shawn in the right arm.

" What did I do? You know I was no choir boy before Angela and wasn't a monk all those years on the road but I'm happily monogamous and a willing dad now!" Shawn pleaded.

" Sorry, but I just hate that four generations of women in our family have had to deal with rejection," Katy sniffed.

"No fun,to be sure," Lila sighed.

" So what happened with my teenaged mother-in-law after she bore my wife?" Shawn asked.

" She attempted to return to John Adams High to complete the education that had been disrupted to help provide for the future Mrs. Hunter a few weeks after she was born . However, I'm very sorry to say that the boys were no less jeering and the other girls were no less catty than before despite my classroom pleas for respect and courtesy toward her," Mr. Feeny groaned.

" So she died of _teasing_ a month after I was born?" Katy asked.

" Not directly but most definitely a contributing factor, I have to say," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" You say she had been on drugs before. Could she have OD'd?" Shawn asked.

"Shawn! You heard the Feenys, she loved me and wanted me! She couldn't have done that! Tell Shawn he's wrong!" Katy pleaded.

"I wish we could, Dear," Lila sighed as she hugged Katy.

" November 3,1982 was a Thursday and there was a test on Chaucer the next day.," Mr Feeny started to recall.

"Why is that important?" Shawn asked.

"Despite it being a school night, as Lilian would tell me later, when some of the girls asked Charlotte if her daughter could go shopping with them, Katharine pleaded with her to let her have a night out -her first since you were born .To Charlotte's eternal regret, she allowed it," Mr. Feeny deeply groaned.

"Oh, no! They didn't take her shopping, did they?" Katy gulped while Shawn gasped.

"No, instead they took her to a party and, as details often do with teen parties when things go horribly wrong, 20 people told at least 40 different stories all trying to point the fingers towards others- after having called for an ambulance too late,"Lila sighed.

"You mean. .." Katy sniffed.

"According to the toxicology report, somehow she got marijuana laced with angel dust and crack cocaine and all the tolerance that her system previously built up had been erased by all those months of sobriety. It was never clear whether she knew what was in that joint. However, she got it, it was too much for her! I'm so sorry, Katy," Lila cried as she, Shawn and Katy all hugged each other while sobbing together as Mr. Feeny sadly nodded.

"Poor Katharine! My poor Mommy losing her and me losing her!" Katy sobbed.

" The entire school turned out for her funeral but it brought no solace to Charlotte. She angrily denounced them all as backbiting hypocrites then kept sobbing over and over 'I should have never let them take her shopping!' as she tightly clung to you for dear life, Katy," Mr. Feeny added

" Neither Lilian, George or any of us saw either of you again until George married you to Shawn, Katy. However, a few years later shortly before her own death, Lilian did tell me that she'd heard that Charlotte had left town and somehow persuaded her otherwise dud 2nd husband to adopt you with her so those two became your legal parents," Lila sighed as she took a Kleenex out of her blouse pocket and held it up to Katy's nose which Katy then loudly blew on.

After a few more minutes of the Hunters and Lila having a good cries over the fate of Katharine Daly.. . .

" So what of Martin Alveira? Did he just take off and where is he now? Not that I have much I want to say. .." Katy asked.

" He got into even more trouble than did Mr. Hunter at his nadir- and instead of college, he joined the Air Force possibly to do right by our nation or possibly to avoid hard time. He died in a plane crash in '85. I'm sorry, " Mr. Feeny sighed.

"Well, even though he did wrong by my mother, he was my father and I'm sorry that I'll never get to meet him either and it looks like this is where my eyes came from, Do you know anything about his family?" Katy asked as she zoomed in his face on her Smartphone that still had the prom picture pulled up.

"The Alveiras ran a concession stand outside the Eagles Stadium and they had emigrated from Portugal three generations before but I have no idea what's become of them," Mr. Feeny noted.

"Blow one more time! Come on!It'll make you feel better!" Lila insisted as she held a Kleenex up to Katy's nose.

" Thank, Lila, Mr. Feeny! You don't know how much this means to me, to us!" Katy exclaimed as she took a big sniff.

" A great deal of knowledge to impart at once,to be sure," Mr. Feeny noted.

"George, could you give Katy a student roster from '82? John Adams may have alumni contact info," Lila exclaimed.

"Great idea!" Shawn added.

" I'm not sure about contacting them just yet but I'd like to have that list in case one day I may be ready," Katy pondered.

"I have files on all my classes down the years. I'll see about forwarding a copy to you, Mrs. Hunter," Mr. Feeny insisted.

"Great! It's k_g_h_hunter .. ." Katy started.

" I mean I'd mail a . ..what's that called? A hard tack to your street address. Right, Lila?" Mr. Feeny asked.

" That's hard copy, George. Katy,if you scroll it up for me on the Smartphone, I can write it down," Lila insisted.

Katy did so and Lila wrote it down for Mr. Feeny.

"Well, I can't say I'll ever think of a kale smoothie with wheat grass juice and goji& carob raw bars the same way after this!" Shawn laughed.

" Yes, thank you for your hospitality,Lila," Katy added.

" I must say I'm relieved that you DID pick a smart one with good manners. I wasn't sure you would done so again after Angela Moore, "Mr. Feeny sighed.

" She was good to help me get where I needed to be before I could chose to be with Katy forever," Shawn proclaimed.

" She and her husband have become good friends to our family," Katy added.

" And she sent a touching email wishing us all the best after we shared with them the news of future offspring and another one consoling Katy over Gammy Hart," Shawn recalled as he clutched Katy's hand.

"Well, I'm glad we could help. I know this is a great deal to take in and here's our phone number if you want to talk," Lila offered as she wrote it down and gave it to Katy.

"Thanks, we need to be getting back to the Matthewses soon, but it's been great seeing you two again and I sincerely thank you being here for me and now for Katy, too," Shawn proclaimed as he gently shook both the elderly Feenys' hands.

" We look forward to seeing you again, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter," Mr. Feeny proclaimed as he started to stand up.

Shawn helped to lift him out of the chair as he could seem him struggling.

"It's fairly good once I'm on my feet but I admit I can no longer take for granted the journey from backside to standing," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"Lila, before we leave. May I ask you to help clear up a much smaller mystery from my past?" Shawn asked.

"Sure, Shawn. I'll see what I can do, "Lila replied as she started to stand with less effort than Mr. Feeny though not as comparatively effortlessly as the Hunters.

"How did you know it was Cory and me that vandalized Mr. Kincaid's collection instead of Mr. Feeny?" Shawn asked.

" Oh, come on, Shawn. It was obvious that anyone who'd managed to split that preserved brain in half had had to have been using only half a brain," Lila laughed.

"With all due respect, Lila, no fair!" Shawn protested.

" I said only 'using' not that you and Cory didn't have good ones. Besides, I knew that you and Cory were using your full hearts to encourage me to see what I needed to see in George and that you love him for what he is," Lila proclaimed.

"Even though we had to scrub all those windows and repay Mr. Kincaid for the damage, it was worth it, " Shawn insisted.

"Well, I was only using half _my_ brain buying for the umpteenth time his surface instead of seeing him for what he was. Besides, you do know that virtually all his supposed 'artifacts' were plaster reproductions which seems apt for him," Lila scoffed.

" You never run out surprises, My Love. I still can't wrap my head that you and Lilian had been acquainted even though I do vaguely recall you at Katharine Daly's funeral," Mr. Feeny pondered.

" As I do you. However, even though I was still unhappily wed to Curtis at that point, I wouldn't have gone after a friend's husband- especially at a funeral," Lila recalled.

"So, since you and the late 1st Mrs. Feeny knew each other and compared notes about my teen mother-in-law Katharine Daly, did she ever talk to you about Mr. Feeny?" Shawn asked.

" Shawn!" Katy protested.

" No, it's a fair enough question. We almost always just talked shop talk about the young people's issues we were trying to help and not our personal lives. However, in 1985- about a month after she phoned me with what she learned about Mrs. Hart and Katy, mutual friends told me she was in the hospital and asked me to visit her," Lila sighed.

"Really? You never told me that!" Mr. Feeny gasped.

" Oh, it was shortly before my own dad died in Wisconsin so that whole time became a sad blur," Lila sighed.

"As that time was for me," Mr. Feeny groaned.

" I know, George. Well, our mutual friends told me she was in the hospital for terminal bone cancer in the back and when I got there to try to offer her some support because I knew she had to be in horrible pain, Lilian told me she was sad that I had missed you by an hour," Lila sighed.

" Were you in the _classroom_ while. .? " Shawn asked.

"Mr. Hunter that's not your. ." Mr. Feeny started to sputter.

"No, Shawn. The doctors had put HIM in the hospital on another floor as he had collapsed from exhaustion trying to tend to Lilian. She told me all about how attentive he was to her for their whole marriage and how he had left John Adams High to join her teaching in her grade school so they could be together while she battled the cancer that last year," Lila recalled.

"Oh, Mr. Feeny!" Katy gasped as she and Shawn patted him on the shoulder.

"I was qualified to teach all levels so it was most pragmatic I make use of the skills there at that time," Mr. Feeny scoffed.

"She never once mentioned her pain to me- only how thankful she was for George to have always been there for her. She asked if Curtis was there for me and I had to be honest and admit no he never was- then she asked why I stayed with him and I told her it was so I wouldn't be alone. Half a brain!" Lila scoffed as she pointed to herself.

"Lila, you shouldn't be so harsh on yourself. You were seeing what you wanted," Katy consoled.

" I know, Katy. Anyway, Lilian looked me in the eye and noted that I already WAS alone so I needed to ask myself whether that was worth staying with him. Then she took my hand and wished me well on my journey before she went to sleep," Lila recalled.

" Journey?" Shawn asked.

"Oh, I was about to take a trip to France for two weeks to see if I could meet up with Curtis so I thought she was talking about that. However, as it turned out, my dad died two days later so I had to be at his funeral in Wisconsin and, later I found out Lilian died the next day. Curtis never so much as sent a card or about my dad but Lilian somehow found out and DID send me a card," Lila recalled.

"That had to suck that Mr. Kincaid didn't address his father-in-law's death," Shawn sighed.

" Even though he and Dad never had any use for each other (with Dad calling him 'Curty Kinky'), it still stung that Curtis didn't at least attempt to console me over Dad's death," Lila sighed.

"So even though Lilian Feeny herself was in incredible pain and knew she was dying and had hardly known you, she sent you a card about your father! She sounds like she would have been wonderful to have known," Katy exclaimed while Lila nodded.

"Indeed," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"So I guess it was the last straw with Mr. Kincaid, " Shawn pondered.

"You got it, Kiddo!" Lila exclaimed.

"You think she may have wanted you to eventually marry Mr. Feeny?" Katy asked.

"She didn't want either of us to be alone, that's for sure," Lila reflected.

" Even if Lilian had never met you, I can't imagine our destinies not intertwining," Mr. Feeny insisted as he took Lila's hand and kissed it.

"Aww!" Katy cooed.

" We'd like to invite you two to join the Matthewses and us for an Afghani meal at that restaurant- our treat!" Shawn insisted.

"We may have to take a rain check, inasmuch as we will soon be needing to attend our aquatic therapy at the natatorium after which we'll tend to our quadrangular rhythmic bipedal jaunt this evening, " Mr. Feeny explained while Lila shook her head and laughed.

" Oh, I see a challenge!" Shawn exclaimed with eager eyes.

"I think you're right!" Lila laughed

"What do you mean?" Katy asked.

" He wants us to put on our thinking caps and I think I may have the first one. Aqua Man lives in the water so aquatic means something with water and _natator_ is Latin for . ..swimming so you're going swimming in water in a swimming pool! "Shawn exclaimed.

" Very good, Mr. Hunter! I see your uncanny language skills have not deserted you!" Mr. Feeny proclaimed.

" But what could a quadrangular rhythmic bipedal jaunt be?" Shawn asked.

"I got THIS one, Gorgeous! Square Dancing! " Katy exclaimed.

"Square dancing?! How did you get that?!" Shawn laughed.

" Quadrangular means 'square shaped 'and bipedal means ' two feet' so, with rhythm you get dancing- and I spend a good part of my youth in Arkansas so no way can you hide a square dance from an Arkansan !" Katy laughed.

" Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, we are about to go swimming and .. ._square dancing_," Mr. Feeny groaned.

" Oh, it's not so bad! If you can walk, you can square dance and it's a good exercise for us, George! " Lila insisted.

" She's got you good, Mr. Feeny! No way will Katy get ME to a square dance," Shawn laughed.

" Oh, give him a few years, I have every confidence you can wear down his resistance," Lila laughed.

" You think?" Katy laughed.

" Well, I still refuse to wear the bolo tie," Mr. Feeny scoffed.

" It will look so good on you, George. I'm wearing a gingham skirt with crinolines for this," Lila laughed.

" Hasn't my being willing to compromise via wearing the denim trousers and plaid shirt sufficed enough for you? First my diet then . . Square dancing," Mr. Feeny snorted.

" You're right, Dear. I'm doing this for totally selfish reasons. In another six months you're having your 90th Birthday and I want you to stay as hale and healthy as possible for it and as many years after as can be," Lila insisted as she kissed Mr. Feeny on the cheek.

"90 years! Wow!" Shawn beamed.

" By no means, a done deal, Mr. Hunter," Mr. Feeny scoffed.

" Well, when it DOES happen, you two, your daughter and all the Matthewses are invited to the party I'm throwing for him!" Lila insisted.

" We'll do our best to be there, ma'am!" Shawn agreed with Katy nodding.

"If you can persuade Ms. Lawrence- Matthews to bring her chocolate torte cake with apricot jam filling, that would be the icing on the proverbial cake!" Mr. Feeny laughed.

" We'll see what we can do. Are you sure you can't join us for dinner?" Katy asked.

"I'm afraid not, the square dance could last until at least nine," Lila sighed.

" Could we stop by and watch it?" Shawn asked.

"NO, Mr. Hunter and don't think of sending them a Smartphone moving picture of it, Lila!" Mr. Feeny warned.

"Very well. But we'll see if you wear the bolo tie, George," Lila laughed.

" Great seeing you- and ask Mr. Feeny about the time he danced onstage with Mr. Matthews, Eric, Jack, Cory and me to 'Hot Stuff'!" Shawn laughed as he and Katy hugged both the Feenys.

"' Hot Stuff' by Donna Summers, George? You're _also_ full of surprises!" Lila laughed.

"Nice going, Mr. Hunter. Now I'll HAVE to wear the bolo tie!" Mr. Feeny snorted as he and Lila closed the door after the Hunters left.

.

.

As they were walking back to the Matthewses from the Feenys' back yard.

"They sure are nice! I'm so happy they're in our lives," Katy exclaimed.

"I never would have admitted it back then for so many years but I'm grateful for that,too. And now I'll have countless laughs thinking of the Mr. Feeny square dancing!" Shawn laughed.

"To say nothing of swimming," Katy added.

"You laugh at what you want. I'll laugh at what I want," Shawn replied.

" You DID cancel the Airbnb reservation, right?" Katy recalled.

"No, I didn't and it's almost 5 o'clock! " Shawn gasped.

"Oh, no! You'd better do it soon or else it'll get charged to your card! Quick get out your Smartphone and. ." " Katy pleaded.

" Oh, I left mine in the overnight bag inside Morgan's old room- which I might add looks like its out of HGTV," Shawn recalled.

" You'd better get it soon!" Katy warned as they knocked on the Matthewses' back door.

" The Matthewses must have gone out!" Shawn groaned a minute later after hearing no response.

"Now, don't think of jiggling their doorknobs or breaking any of their windows, Shawn," Katy warned.

" No need! There's another way! " Shawn insisted as he walked up to the old treehouse tree.

" Really, Shawn? Shawn. Don't" Katy sighed.

"I climbed this tree hundreds of times to see Cory back then, " Shawn recalled.

" Shawn, why are you taking off your boots and socks?" Katy asked.

"I'd forgotten how much fun it was to go barefoot until Fiji," Shawn explained as he started climbing.

" But those are hiking boots! Get down," Katy pleaded.

"Hiking not climbing! Yeah, until Virna figured out that hospital visits for infected glass cuts and resulting court hearings were more expensive than Keds, I was barefoot all the time as a kid," Shawn shouted as he got to the Matthews' Boys' Room Window.

"Shawn, be careful! You're not a kid anymore!" Katy shouted.

" I'm there and the window latch turns as easy as ever. What can possibly go wrong? "Shawn shouted.

At that moment , a very loud alarm sounded.

"WARNING! WARNING! ARMADILLO SECURITY HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF YOUR INTRUSION!" a loudspeaker barked while sirens wailed.

"Shawn?! What the Hell's going on?!" Alan Matthews yelled as he, Amy and Joshua came from inside the house.

" I was thinking about old times?" Shawn sheepishly laughed.

"He needed to get his Smartphone to cancel the Airbnb before he got charged and you guys weren't home. I tried to talk him out of this," Katy sighed.

"We believe you, Katy," Alan sighed.

" We just got back this minute from picking up Joshua from tae-kwon do practice," Amy explained.

"Yeah, Joshua's car's in the shop, " Alan added.

" Alan, could you turn off the alarm! It's not just the Feenys who've noticed this this time," Amy pleaded.

" Oh, yeah!" Alan shrugged as he punched the code on his Smartphone to disable the alarm which immediately went silent.

" Well, I got my Smartphone and cancelled the Airbnb," Shawn chuckled as he climbed back down the tree.

" Do you have anything else to say, Shawn?" Alan added with folded arms.

" Great seeing you again, Joshua! The Afghan restaurant's five blocks away so we can all walk there," Shawn exclaimed as he shook Joshua Matthews's hand.

" Aren't you forgetting something, Shawn?" Amy asked as she pointed to his bare feet while he picked up his boots and socks- and dropped them into his car backset.

" Yeah, it's got booths where we can eat with our shoes off so I say why not stay barefoot the rest of the evening!" Shawn laughed.

"Cool! I can get back like I was in tae kwon do," Joshua proclaimed as he took his own shoes off and carried them.

"Fine but you two boys better scrub those dogs clean as a hound's tooth before getting into bed," Amy insisted.

" Mrs. Matthews, you just made me recall a positive memory of Virna just then!" Shawn sighed.

" Have we got some news to catch you and everyone up on over dinner!" Katy exclaimed as they all walked towards the direction of the restaurant.


	6. Burned By Knowledge's Power?

Burned By Knowledge's Power? (Chapter Six)

Khyber Kitchen, Philadephia, Sunday Evening.

Shawn and Katy Hunter along with Alan, Amy and Joshua Matthews were seated on floor cushions around a table loaded with Aghani and Middle Eastern dishes beneath a tent.

"So, this Katherine Daly was your actual mother," Alan pondered as he looked at Katy's Smartphone with her late teen mother's pic on it.

"That's right, Mr. Matthews," Katy replied.

" You spent your whole life thinking you were someone else's child but now you're finding out the woman you thought was your mother was your grandmother. How are you taking it, Katy?" Amy asked- as Alan handed her Katy's Smartphone.

"I can't deny it's a shock and a very sad story but what's saddest is that Mommy never thought she could tell me about her," Katy sighed.

"Did she ever say or do anything to make you doubt her love for you or Maya?" Amy asked.

"Of course not. She was wonderful and helpful to us! She wasn't like Virn. .. I'm so sorry, Shawn," Katy groaned as she took his hand.

" I was dealt a losing hand in the mother department. Moving on!" Shawn snapped as he pulled his hand back a bit too abruptly for either Katy or the adult Matthewses to believe him.

"I'm sorry we have to have that in common," Katy sighed.

"Virna Cordini Hunter . ..whatever last name she goes by now isn't worth a tick's tear at a hound's funeral- and it's not about me this time," Shawn protested.

"Sorry, Shawn!" Katy gulped.

"It's OK. Anyway, she showed her true colors 16 years ago and that's it! Done! _Finito_! Babe, you just learned all this yesterday so it's raw for you," Shawn insisted.

"Did your . ..adoptive father ever give any hints?" Joshua asked.

"Not exactly. I barely have any memories of him and I found out he died a few years after he left but the last one I have was a doozy! He had an argument with . ..Mommy and said she could have the house and me but he was done!" Katy exclaimed as she started to cry.

"What did you do?" Amy asked.

" I clung to his right leg begging him to stay but he pulled me off and practically shoved me across the room. His last words before he slammed the front door in our faces were 'This whole farce was your idea, Charlotte. I'm done with it!' Did I mention I was five?" Katy sniffed.

"How awful!" Amy gasped.

"No wonder you wanted Maya to not want to feel rejected by Kermit even if it meant she needlessly thought worse of you," Shawn gasped.

" Yeah, Jordan Hart's words made no sense at the time but they're crystal clear now," Katy fumed.

"But he HAD agreed to be your new legal father and your biological one denied you were his so none of that was your fault," Amy pleaded.

" I know all that, Mrs. Matthews. At least, I know that now, but I can't say I didn't blame myself for him leaving Mommy for way too long," Katy sighed.

"But no point in punishing yourself for your past mistakes- especially since you're no longer making them," Shawn added while taking Katy's hand.

"Now that you know that who your mother was and that she had a tendency for addiction, are you now worried about Maya's possibly inheriting that?" Joshua asked.

" Joshua! You shouldn't be asking these questions!" Alan protested while wagging his finger at his youngest son's chest.

"Are you trying to justify throwing Maya's feelings back in her face by tagging her a potential addict?" Amy sputtered.

"No, Mom!" Joshua protested.

"No, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews. It's okay. I'm not offended and these are legit questions. Truth be told, it DOES worry me. It's like Original Sin,'Katy sighed.

"What do you mean?" Joshua asked.

" Everyone has the potential within for boozing or drugging as a means for a downfall but some of us have more means than others due to family tendencies," Shawn sighed as he pointed to himself.

"But you've been clean ever since those teen episodes and Mommy was clean my whole life," Katy pleaded.

" Gammy Hart also was an alcoholic? I never saw any drunken episodes or stashes of bottles," Shawn protested.

"She was what she called a recovering alcoholic and she was honest with me about that part of own past so I'd be careful not to get started. She also told me about young teens of friends of hers and young girls she'd grown up with who died in that state but I never imagined that she was actually talking about my mother Katharine while changing her name to those fake girls," Katy sighed.

"Well, if it's any consolation, as unconventional and rebellious as Maya is, from my brief observations of her, I've never seen any signs she's into that," Alan insisted.

"Nor have I and it does help to hear that . However, that doesn't mean we can't pretend it's impossible to happen to her or our future little one thanks to the genes,"Katy gulped.

"Genes are a bit funny. I mean who'd believe Cory wasn't adopted instead of taking so strongly after your own Eastern European Jewish father, Mrs. Matthews ,while Eric and Morgan especially have taken after their other three Viking and Celtic grandparents," Shawn laughed.

" Yeah, folks often wondered if there was a baby switch at the hospital but the DNA tests prove he's _ours_ alright," Alan laughed.

"Alan, you weren't supposed to tell anyone we did that," Amy fumed as she swatted his right arm.

"Well, I'd have still loved Cory as our son if they'd proved otherwise but I just wanted to know in case we ever needed to get blood transfusions or bone marrow transplants!" Alan sputtered.

"Quit while you're behind, Dad," Joshua groaned.

" In any case, despite all these news and worries, you're doing okay with the baby, right?" Amy asked.

"Yes, right now it's just a little nausea in the morning and sensitivity in a few spots, but according to the OB, I'm doing fine and so's the baby as best she can tell now," Katy replied as everyone finished their meals.

"Isn't that great news! "Shawn gushed as he kissed her hand.

"It sure is!" Amy beamed.

" Are we done? We need to get home since I've got class tomorrow at NYU," Joshua pleaded.

" Joshua, you had all weekend here in Philly to do your homework and you knew the Hunters would be here today! Why did you put off starting it until late Sunday evening?" Alan fumed.

" Family tradition?" Shawn replied.

" Shawn, that was going to be my line," Joshua protested but then he and Shawn looked at each other and started to laugh as did Katy then Amy and finally Alan.

"OK, since you're so keen on all us cutting this short, you can get all our jackets and wraps," Amy insisted.

"Yes, Mom, " Joshua groaned as he started to stand up and walk out of their booth toward the coat rack but then made a troubled face.

"What's wrong?" Katy asked.

" With all these pomegranates, falafel and hummus on the floor,I feel like I'm walking in a swamp," Joshua protested as he looked down.

" I know. Cool, right?" Shawn laughed.

"Well, that's what you and Shawn got for your shoelessness, so I hope you're happy," Amy snapped.

"This wouldn't have happened at your old hangout- Chubbie's. Why didn't we go there?" Katy asked.

"No reason. No reason!" Alan sputtered while he, Amy, Joshua and Shawn gave each other alarmed looks.

"Can't I tell . .?" Shawn started to ask.

"NO! At least not in front of Mrs. Matthews!" Alan insisted with gritted teeth while jerking his head in Amy's direction while she deeply shuddered.

..

.

Topanga's Bakery, NYC, Early Monday Afternoon.

Maya, Riley, Lucas, Farkle and Zay were all in aprons in the kitchen trying to take the fresh-baked loaves, cakes, rolls, cookies,etc. out of the oven.

"Mom, I protest this child labor," Riley fumed.

"I already mixed the flour, kneaded the dough, greased and floured the pans, and put them in the oven. All you have to do is take them out of the oven put the baked goods into the display baskets and then start washing the pans so we can do this all over again!" Topanga explained.

"But Mrs. Matthews, why did you wait until we were out of school to ask us?" Lucas asked.

" I didn't know I'd be short on help and large on orders before then and Mr. Matthews has that after school teachers' conference," Topanga fumed.

"So, you're blaming Mom for New Jersey getting fogged in? Way unfair and uncool, Aunt Topanga!" Maya fumed.

" In actuality, considering that New Jersey is between the Delaware and Lower Hudson Rivers with the Atlantic Ocean on its east, it's surprising it doesn't get fogged in more often," Farkle noted.

" I don't know why you, Lucas and Zay agreed to this sweat shop," Maya snorted.

" Baking's one of the most awesome scientific transformations via using heat and the carbon dioxide of one-celled organisms that are neither plants or animals to achieve that goal. How could I possibly skip this cool phenomenon?" Farkle laughed.

"To say nothing of getting all the burnt-but still edible cinnamon buns to take home! YUM" Zay added.

"And getting to spend time with you!" Lucas added while looking at Riley and taking her hand.

"Oh, go on!" Riley laughed with a blush.

"Fine, Huckleberry! You and Petunia rub it in! This still sucks," Maya fumed.

"Didn't you get a text from Aunt Katy and Uncle Shawn when they'd be back?" Riley asked.

" Yes, they should be back before too long," Maya explained.

"Did they say Mr. Feeny told them anything?" Riley asked.

" They just said it was a good visit with the Feenys and the Matthewses- and all of them send us their love and will tell me more details in person," Maya sighed.

"So are you upset that they didn't tell everything they learned by text?" Zay asked.

"No, they didn't say that Riley's Uncle Boin. .. Uncle Joshua specifically sent me HIS love," Maya groaned.

" Come on! He has nowhere close to my IQ and stuck in college classes while I'm right here. What does he have that I don't have?" Farkle asked.

" Do you really want her to detail that, Farkle?" Topanga replied.

" I guess that's one hypothesis that may be best left unsolved for now," Farkle groaned.

" I wonder if we'll find out more about my real grandmother Katharine. Hard to believe Gammy turned out to be my _great_-grandmother," Maya sighed.

"Considering that your Gammy Hart would have been far too advanced in chronological years to have safely born either of your biological parents, her being three instead of two generations removed from you came as no surprise to me," Farkle insisted.

" Why didn't you ever say anything?" Lucas asked.

"I was trying to be polite and not needlessly hurt anyone's feelings," Farkle admitted.

"Whoa! Robot Boy's got a heart beneath that hard drive after all!" Zay laughed as he, Lucas, Riley and Maya banged Farkle's back.

"We're back!" Shawn and Katy Hart Hunter exclaimed as they came through the bakery to the kitchen carrying the overnight bags.

"Great! Now can you tell me what you learned?" Maya asked as she hugged her parents.

"The Feenys were each able to flesh out who your grandparents Martin Alveira and, especially Katharine Daly were," Shawn replied as he put down the overnight bags.

" So was my grandfather Martin Alveira musical and was my grandmother Katharine a singer? Where did we get our height from and will my new baby sister or brother get it,too?" Maya asked.

"One question at a time, Baby Girl!" Katy laughed.

" It's a hidden generation I never knew about. Forgive my inquiring mind! It's a major deal!" Maya exclaimed.

" Not as much as to me. You knew Charlotte Hart was your Gammy and I'm your mom so finding out she was your great-grandmother and you had a secret grandmother can't have been as startling as my finding out my Mommy was really my own secret mother's Mommy," Katy sighed.

"Why do you think Mrs. Hart hid from you all that about her own daughter, your mother?" Topanga asked.

"We'll never know for sure but I guess she saw me as a replacement for Katharine and a last chance to be a mother- and she didn't want to chance losing me," Katy sighed.

"Why did Katharine Daly die so young?" Riley asked.

" Well, she. .." Katy started to say.

" Hadn't entirely recovered from becoming a mother. .." Shawn gulped while looking at Katy in uncertainty.

"Come on! Mom, Daddy! Let's not start out sugarcoating the truth," Maya scoffed.

"Arsenic may start out having a sweet flavor but, it will still ultimately poison those who consume it," Farkle added.

" Whoa!" Lucas gulped while Zay and Riley gasped aloud.

Katy looked at Shawn and he looked at her back then the two of them nodded.

"You're absolutely right, Maya- and your insights are astonishingly uncanny, Farkle. I could write a whole shelf of books about all the lies I got told by my so-called parents!" Shawn fumed.

"Shawn, Gorgeous, please. It's my side of the family and I'm the who needs to tell Maya and all our closest friends what we've learned," Katy sighed.

" I'm with you every step of the way, Babe," Shawn exclaimed as he took her right hand and kissed it.

"Thanks," Katy beamed.

"All we ask of everyone here is to use your discretion as to whom and how much to tell of the whole tale. This was a young couple who were Katy's parents, Maya's maternal grandparents. People. Not the latest piercing, streamed video or nail color to vlog into cyberspace fodder," Shawn insisted.

After Shawn and Katy explained in detail what they learned from the Feenys.

"It's so tragic! All I can think about is that pretty young girl who fought so hard for you to be healthy never got to see you take your first step, learn to talk or grow up- and never got to grow up herself,' Riley sobbed as she hugged Katy and Maya.

"I know- and I can't think about how sad and lonely Mommy. . Gammy Hart must have felt holding onto me at Katharine's funeral then holding onto her memories in that box but never feeling able to share them with me,"Katy sniffed.

"If Martin Alveira was living, I'd kill him for treating her and you like that just like Kermit did to you and me," Maya boiled.

"It's not about you, Maya," Topanga added.

"But it is- and it's also about Mom and Daddy's little one who will never meet either of them any of them," Maya sighed.

"How were Mom, & Dad Matthews and Joshua ?" Topanga asked.

"Oh,they all are fine and they send you and Cory their love. We had a great time catching up and sharing what we learned, "Katy replied.

"And the FEE-HEE-NAYS?" Maya asked.

"They were great! I think you might possibly bond with Mrs. Feeny if you get the chance to know each other," Katy laughed.

"What do you mean?" Maya asked.

" In March, Mr. Feeny's having his 90th Birthday and we're all invited for the party Lila's throwing for him," Shawn explained.

" Lila?" Riley asked while looking at Maya who shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

" That's what Mrs. Feeny asked your Uncle Shawn and me to call her but at least wait until she suggests it before any of you teens try to call her by her given name, please," Katy pleaded.

" Don't tell me you said we'd be there before you even asked me?" Maya snapped.

"Not exactly but surely six months' notice is plenty to save the day for it!" Katy replied.

"So when did you have the chance to get new Capri flats in that funky tie-dye pattern, Mom?" Maya asked as she looked at Katy's shoes.

"I didn't. At the Afghani restaurant, there was a bunch of hummus, falafel and pomegranates on the floor which stained all our shoes," Katy fumed.

" Joshua Matthews and I didn't have that problem!" Shawn smirked.

" Why didn't you take her and my in-laws to Chubbie's?"Topanga asked.

" We couldn't have done that!" Shawn protested.

" Afraid some old girlfriends would show up?" Maya asked.

"No, it wasn't that. Chubbie's doesn't allow _pregnant women_!" Shawn explained.

"That makes sense," Katy sighed.

"Except it doesn't- and it's discriminatory. If they'd refused you service, you could have called me and I'd have filed a suit faster than anyone's head could spin," Topanga boiled.

"But we still would have had to have found somewhere else to eat," Shawn protested.

"Yeah, Daddy! That's majorly uncool of them to do that to Mom and other pregnant women," Maya fumed while Katy and Riley nodded.

" It's not my call. It's Chubbie's and the Philadelphia Board of Health's. The last pregnant woman who ate there was. . . Mrs. Amy Matthews when she was carrying Senator Eric," Shawn explained.

"Yikes!" everyone else gasped.

"You think they could have served a large number of Capitol Hill's mothers when they were carrying them?" Zay pondered.

"It's possible," Shawn shuddered.

"Sorry that teachers' workshop dragged on longer than I'd guessed," Cory apologized as he walked into Topanga's Bakery kitchen and put down his briefcase.

"It's okay! We can catch you up on everything!" Shawn replied before they did so.

.

"How does that make you feel to learn all that, Maya," Cory asked after hearing the news.

" Uncle Cory, I have to admit that it's daunting to know that I've got the tendency for addiction from Mom's mom's side as well as Daddy's side," Maya sighed.

"You know you're my daughter until the day I die but I can't pass on that tendency from Chet to you. That's one tiny benefit of not your being born a Hunter," Shawn sighed.

"Daddy, I know all that. I also know that Gammy Hart herself was a recovering alcoholic AND that Kermit and his side weren't immune to that either. My baby sib's going to have your DNA so anything from Chet's side will have to be considered," Maya explained.

"Such wisdom, it's no wonder I'm proud that she and Riley are my ladies!" Farkle beamed.

"Farkle, Riley's not. .." Lucas fumed.

" Let it go for now, " Riley sighed.

"Topanga, how did you not know Chubbie's has barred all pregnant women ever since Eric was born? I thought everyone in town knew that!" Cory laughed.

" So that's why you wouldn't let me jaunt back to Philly during either of my pregnancies- and why you threw out that cheese steak I'd ordered and had Fed Ex'd from Chubbie's," Topanga laughed.

"If we all pitch together, we can make this bakery shine in no time!" Cory insisted as he took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves while nodding to Shawn who, after giving Cory a momentary dirty look, did the same.

.

.

Later that evening in Riley's bedroom window.

"It's almost time for me to get back home, "Maya proclaimed.

"You don't think Aunt Katy will stay on your case about the addiction genes, right?" Riley asked.

"I'm not sure but there's lots of good benefits of knowing our ancestors. I guess," Maya shrugged.

"Now that you know your real grandfather was a cool Latino named Martin Alveira instead of that dud Jordan Hart, maybe you should try to connect to _his_ side," Riley pondered.

" I don't know. He didn't do right by Mom or Grandma Katharine," Maya scoffed.

"But that was over 30 years ago. Besides, he may have had some brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews who might be worth knowing," Riley insisted.

" Maybe someday. .." Maya started to say.

"Oh, you're going to be the goody-goody girly-girl who waits until the grown-ups tell you it's safe to cross the street on your own?" Riley taunted.

" I don't want trouble and now's not the time to," Maya scoffed.

"When is the time? When you're old enough to be a ma'am that everyone is expected to wait to see if it's okay to use your given name instead 'Ms. Hunter,?'"Riley sneered.

"Well. .." Maya gulped.

" Come on! Where's your sense of adventure! You're part Portuguese!"Riley insisted.

"So?" Maya shrugged.

"The same folks who were the first Europeans who sailed around Africa to Asia and had colonies in Brazil, Africa and Asia until the end of the 20th Century! Yes, I picked that up from Dad during one of our naps," Riley scoffed.

"But I'm not sure how," Maya pondered.

"It's not like you have to go to a library and scroll through microfilm and bound archive books. We're just a few clicks away!" Riley beamed as she held up her laptop.

" Great! You're going to give the Portal to Infinite Dimensions Speech like Farkle once did," Maya sighed.

"Here's Martin Alveria's obit. See? Aged 22, December 12, 1985. Martin Peter Alveira. Survived by parents, Henrique and Maria Alveira, brother Miguel and sister Gloria.' So, let me do a few more clicks and then ..Hmm, their parents each have since bit the big one but your Uncle Miguel is still around and runs a dry cleaner's right in Philly- and look at his picture!" Riley beamed.

"He's my Great-Uncle,50, married and nowhere close to Joshua Matthews's league so no Uncle Boing for you, Honey,"Maya protested.

" He's good looking in a middle-aged way but you really think I'd throw off Lucas for him?!" Riley scoffed.

"Well, if you don't want to call him then there's no reason for me to call, Little Nut Job," Maya half-laughed.

" Come on, Yama! Do it and show you're as brave as any Portuguese explorer and any Hunter man!" Riley insisted as she tapped Miguel Alveira's phone number on her Smartphone.

"OK, Riley. Here goes nothing. I'm connecting to my great-uncle Miguel. Nothing to it!" Maya half-heartedly proclaimed as she connected to the number

" Hello," a man's voice cracked.

"Miguel Alveira?" Maya started to say.

"Yep! Goodbye if you're a telemarketer or survey taker," Miguel Alveira started to say on the other end of the Smartphone

"No, sir! I'm not. Do you know anything about Katharine Daly? . .I'm. ." Maya started to say.

"That lying, little slut wrecked my big brother's life and he'd be alive now if it weren't for her and her bitch mom muddying his name over that bastard baby!" Miguel Alveira boiled on the other end of the Smartphone while she and Riley both gasped.

"But. ." Maya sputtered for a moment before Miguel Alveira ended the connection leaving her holding Riley's Smartphone in shock.

"How could he talk about Gammy, my grandmother Katharine and Mom- his own niece like that?" Maya sobbed.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to. ." Riley sobbed.

" It's not your fault, Sunshine! You didn't know he'd be such a. I can't even," Maya shuddered through her tears.

" Well, we can never ever tell Mom or Aunt Katy. .." Riley gasped as she hyperventilated.

"Too late, Riley and you're in SO much trouble!"Topanga boiled as she opened Riley's door with her left hand while revealing herself hugging Katy (in new tears ) with her right hand.

"Mom, I didn't mean. .." Riley sputtered.

"We'll discuss your punishment later. Right now, we're going to get Aunt Katy's and Maya's wraps and quietly walk them home like real friends are supposed to do," Topanga fumed.

"But I was just trying to hel. .." Riley protested.

"Just don't say anything else to them or ME the rest of the night. I don't even want to look at you right now much less talk to you," Topanga hissed as she led a stunned Maya out of Riley's room while she and Katy wordlessly clutched hands walking ahead of the Matthews women.

"Mom, don't you love me anymore?" Riley sniffed.

"Oh, Riley. You're my daughter and no matter what happens or what you do, I'll always love you!" Topanga beamed as she hugged Riley and looked her in the eye with undiluted maternal love.

"And I love you,too, Mom," Riley quickly replied and hugged Topanga back before Topanga broke their embrace.

"But right now, I don't LIKE you and it's going to be a long time with a lot of effort on your part before I do again, " Topanga exclaimed as she again looked Riley in the eye while Riley tried to avoid her glare.

"Mom.. ." Riley sniffed.

" Just don't say anything else until tomorrow morning at the earliest and walk with me, your Aunt Katy and Maya," Topanga commanded in a voice of stone before the four women silently walked out of the Matthewses' apartment towards the Hunters' apartment not saying another word (which startled Auggie and Ava who were in the living room).

To say that Katy and Maya were offended and shattered by Miguel Alveira's condemnation of Katharine Daly, Charlotte Lubotsky Daly Hart, and Katy Hart Hunter herself would have been a major understatement. Neither they , Topanga Lawrence-Matthews or Riley Matthews were looking forward to what Cory Matthews's reaction would be upon the news of that ill-starred 30 second conversation and Riley's role- to say nothing of Shawn Patrick Hunter's. But they knew they couldn't avoid telling either of them forever much less the rest of the night as they reached the Hunters' apartment a few blocks away in Greenwich Village.


	7. Chopping Down the Acorn's Tree

Chopping Down the Acorn's Tree (Chapter Seven)

Topanga's Bakery- One Hour Later

"Shawn! What are you doing here and why are you wearing plastic gloves?" Cory asked as he was putting the last of that evening's display in storage for the next morning.

"Keeps the Vaseline on my hands," Shawn explained.

"Vaseline?" Cory asked.

"I'm not going to be the only dad in the park with hand wrinkles pitching baseballs to my kid," Shawn added.

"OK. Thanks for coming here and telling me that but ." Cory gulped as he started to open the door to lead Shawn out.

"Nice try but I feel like tearing something or someone apart right now," Shawn seethed as he closed the door and stood in front of it.

"Have a gingerbread man," Cory half-laughed as he uncovered a glass dome over a cake tray then handed Shawn a cookie.

"Nope! That's not gonna cut it," Shawn fumed- as he crushed it into mulch. between his right index and middle fingers.

"_Gingee_! Uncle Shawnny didn't mean it," Cory sniffed in a baby talk voice as he picked up the remains in his hands.

"CORY!" Shawn screamed.

"Oh, so Topanga told you about Maya's call to her awful great-uncle. Yeah, Maya shouldn't have done it but what's done is done so we just have to make the best of it," Cory nervously laughed.

""Make the best of it!?' My wife and my daughter are both sitting in their bedrooms just staring at the walls so I've got to be getting back to them soon but not before I get this out," Shawn fumed.

" Shawn, I'm so sorry that this has happened," Cory gulped.

"Good! You should!" Shawn snarled.

"What you mean? 'I should'," asked Cory.

" Just what I said. Do continue," Shawn sniffed.

" Well, Topanga's really gone down on Riley for not discouraging Maya but Maya shouldn't have called a stranger and I hope she's learned her lesson," Cory pleaded.

"' Not discouraging'? Is that another term for pressuring a friend?" Shawn boiled.

"Well, Maya did make that call!" Cory half-laughed.

" Only because YOUR daughter egged her on! Katy and I have told Maya countless times never to call strange men. ." Shawn seethed.

" Well, I guess she's learned her lesson," Cory half-laughed.

" Again, you say 'learned her lesson' , but who was the one who taught YOUR daughter to encourage smart girls to ignore all the lessons their parents spent years teaching them?!" Shawn snarled.

" Years? You've only been Maya's dad for two months! That's nothing compared to 15 years I've been Riley's dad so you can't tell ME you're an expert!" Cory boiled.

"Well, I guarantee you I've learned enough in two months to know not to encourage my daughter to stick her nose where it's not needed or wanted!" Shawn seethed.

" Wait! Are you blaming me and Topanga for how we've raised Riley?" Cory sputtered while raising himself as high as he could on his toes and trying to tower over Shawn.

" Of course not. .!" Shawn started to say.

"That's good. ." Cory said with a whistle.

"Topanga's on _my_ side here and she's verbally tearing your daughter a new one but she wouldn't have had to have done so had YOU not raised her that way all these years!" Shawn boiled as he climbed on a barstool to stand over Cory.

"Great advice coming from someone who ran out on us when Riley was born to sulk in the woods for 13 years! " Cory snarled as he climbed on the adjacent barstool.

" Hey! I'm not proud of that but I wasn't ready to play 'Riley's Two Dads'," Shawn replied.

" No, better you play Sulky Luke Skywalker and let the whole galaxy go to crud!," Cory seethed.

" It was Superboy going to the Fortress of Solitude so I could get to be Superman- and I HATED that Abrams' sequel! " Shawn snarled.

"We agree on something! I hated it,too!" Cory snapped.

_A/N- So did I!_

"Good, but that's not why I came here! And , oh yeah, I regret not staying around to help with Riley- not for the least part because had I done so, I would have raised her not to do that to Maya!" Shawn boiled.

"Oh, yeah! Like Maya had no choice but to do whatever my big bad daughter ,who I deliberately raised to be nosy, told her to do!" Cory sneered.

" Glad you see it my way!" Shawn gloated.

" I was being sarcastic, you gingerbread murderer!" Cory seethed while slapping the side of Shawn's head with his left hand.

"Cory, you're really nucking futz! " Shawn sneered while he shook his head.

"Gingee assassin!" Cory screamed.

" Whatever. Anyway, I knew that but a sarcastic guilt admission is better than none- ask any police interrogator! " Shawn seethed.

" Well, I wouldn't know would I?" Cory sneered.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Shawn sputtered.

"You're the one who brought the police into this- which I'm about to do if you don't get the Hell off my property!" Cory snarled as he pointed to the door.

"Oooh! I'm shaking in boots, the big teacher is going to call the principal on me!" Shawn taunted while rubbing his hands together

"Try me!" Cory seethed as he took out his Smartphone and held it up.

"You don't have the guts which is why this bakery's in your wife's name instead of yours!" Shawn taunted.

" Guts? I stayed around the whole time and raised Riley and Auggie!" Cory sneered.

"You lucked out with Auggie but you did a ROTTEN job with Riley! I'm going home to try to undo my family's damage from it! " Shawn boiled as he stormed out of Topanga's and slammed the door front glass behind him almost hard enough to break it.

"Go ahead and run off again, Trailer Trash Gingerbread Assassin ! Who needs you?!" Cory opened the door called out into the street.

Thirty seconds later. .

"Shawn! You're supposed to turn around and come back! Why aren't you coming back to beat me up?! Shawnny, " Cory whined as he called into the night.

.

.

Topanga's - Next Morning.

"Morning, Topanga," Katy sighed.

"Morning, Katy. How are you and Maya after that horrible call?" Topanga asked.

"It was awful and I wish it had never happened but I'm over worrying about it for that now," Katy replied as she put her handbag behind the counter.

"Hey! You're not worried about our two rams banging each other off the mountain last night, are you?" Topanga asked.

" I've never seen Shawn this upset. Have he and Cory had other fights like this?" Katy asked.

" Those two practically wrecked our entire wedding in front of everyone!" Topanga laughed.

" I guess sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying," Katy sighed.

"Try screaming," Topanga groaned.

"Well, I want you to know that I'm not blaming Cory or Riley for what happened," Katy explained.

"Well, it IS Riley's fault that she encouraged Maya to do something they both knew could blow up in their faces," Topanga sniffed.

"Now, don't be too hard on your daughter. My daughter didn't have to call that. . person!" Katy replied.

"But Riley's done this so many times. I'm glad Cory's encouraged her to seek answers but, at times like this, I think he over encouraged her," Topanga sighed.

"Wait! You're siding with Shawn and against your own husband?" Katy sputtered.

"Well, as much as I hate doing it, this time he's right!" Topanga countered.

" Perhaps but Shawn was out of line coming here just to dis Cory's parenting!" Katy sniffed.

"Cory deserved it! He meant well but this is hardly the first time Riley's crossed the line from being helpful to a friend out of concern to sticking her nose into where it wasn't needed or wanted," Topanga sputtered.

" Are you saying that I raised Maya to be too weak not to get talked into things against her will? We both heard the entire exchange on speakerphone! Maya never does what she doesn't want to do!" Katy exclaimed.

"I'm not saying that at all! Quit putting words in my mouth!" Topanga fumed.

"So now you're accusing me of lying!" Katy seethed.

" Since we seem to have different viewpoints on this. Perhaps it's better we agree to disagree and quit talking about it so we can just do the work we need to do here," Topanga declared.

"That's fine by me, Ms. Lawrence-Matthews. At least I can count on _Cory_ to be a fair and impartial professional in the classroom to Maya despite whatever conflict he has with my husband," Katy sniffed.

. .

.

Abigail Adams High School, Cory Matthews's Classroom

"You okay, Maya? " Riley asked.

"For the zillionth time, I'm fine!" Maya snapped.

"Maya, are you really?" Riley asked.

"OK, I'm not fine with what Great-Uncle Whatever said but it's NOT your fault, Riley. We both wanted answers and you were trying to help me!" Maya exclaimed.

" So are your parents still sore?" Zay asked.

"Colossal understatement," Maya and Riley sighed together.

"And our dads have gone to war," Riley gulped.

"From our text exchange, it sounds as if Mr. Hunter and Mr. Matthews are about to enact what happens with an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object," Farkle gulped.

"Just ask a certain gingerbread man in the crossfire," Maya sighed.

"You mean?" Zay asked.

"Dad had us all come downstairs to its funeral while he played taps to it before throwing it in the trash," Riley groaned while shaking her head.

"Well, if nothing else,Mr. Matthews is fair and professional. He'll keep his issues with Mr. Hunter outside of class," Lucas exclaimed.

"Want to take odds on that?" asked Farkle.

"Good morning, Class! Last week we touched upon the Trent Affair in which a Confederate blockade ship carrying British subjects got intercepted by the Union blockade. Does anyone want to venture WHY the Union put a blockade around the Confederate waters?" Cory asked.

"To try to starve them out so they'd have to surrender and end their push to spread legal slavery to other states?" Zay asked.

"Very good, Zay! Yes, although it took four years, this is exactly what happened ! This resulted in everyone in the South considering themselves lucky to be drinking peanut coffee since real coffee was too rare, the Confederate soldiers marching on Gettysburg to confiscate boots for their troops with bleeding feet and in General Lee having to borrow someone's white shirt to surrender to General Grant! " Cory beamed.

"But that was over a century and a half past, what good can it do now?" Lucas asked.

" Things don't change too drastically. The British and their Allies also blockaded the Central Powers in the First World War- which resulted in turnips, that had been strictly horse fodder beforehand, getting so precious that mothers in Berlin rioted to get them just four years later. Now, it is well known that George V of Great Britain was the first cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany but could this whole war have started due to Kaiser Wilhelm criticizing King George's parenting?" Cory sputtered.

"No, Mr. Matthews, that's not why. .." Farkle objected.

"Yes, Farkle, it was a whole chain of horrible events starting off with the Assassination of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand but it COULD have started out that other way!" Cory fumed.

"Mr. Matthews, what does this have to do with. ..?" Lucas asked before Cory continued his lecture about how blockades could force the enemy to surrender (and how those who criticized others' parenting deserved to suffer) for the rest of the class.

" Before I forget. Next week are Parent-Teacher Conferences!" Cory exclaimed.

The whole class groaned.

" I expect all students to notify your parents or legal guardians of it as early as possible so we can make the most convenient times for everyone. Oh, and Miss Hunter. .." Cory started to say.

"Ms. Hunter," Maya corrected.

"Miss Hunter- in my classroom and elsewhere by myself from this point on, please be advised that Mrs. Hunter is to attend your Parent-Teacher Conference on her own, if at all possible ,or else I might just have to throw myself and another possible gingerbread assassin attendee out the window. Just kidding. Ha. Ha," Cory said in a voice of stone while pointing to said window before the bell rang.

. .

.

Riley's Bay Bedroom Window that Afternoon. .

"Coast clear?" Maya asked as she climbed in.

"Yeah! Am I glad to see you again! Your dad didn't try to forbid you from seeing me, did he?" Riley gulped as she and Maya hugged.

"No, but I didn't wait to ask and I'm not going to say I'm sorry if we get caught," Maya fumed.

" I hate that our parents are all fighting!" Riley sighed.

"Me,too. So are Aunt Topanga and Uncle Cory around?" Maya asked.

"No, they're at the farmers' market warehouse buying new supplies. Ava's mom is here so we'd better stay quiet, " Riley pleaded.

" It just sucks that they're all at war with each other over something that someone else did who none of us ever heard of before last night," Maya groaned.

"What about Aunt Katy and Uncle Shawn? Do they know you're here?," Riley asked.

"Of course not! I've got Farkle to cover for us saying I'm working on a project at his place," Maya beamed.

"It's great he'll cover us. At least we'll have tonight to try to figure out our next plans without parental interference," Riley exclaimed.

"Yeah! Got any ideas how we can get them back together in the same room?" Maya asked.

"NO! But I've got the idea that you _lied_ to us and came here without my express permission!" Shawn boiled as he climbed into Riley's room via the fire escape while he pointed at Maya.

"Daddy!" Maya gasped.

"Uncle Shawn, how did you. .?" Riley sputtered.

"Oh, call it parental instinct- or call it saying that Mr. Minkus called me wanting to know how to return your Frida Kahlo book you left behind there last week and adding that you weren't there, "Shawn fumed.

" Daddy, it's not as it looks," Maya pleaded while standing up and waving her hands in front of her face.

" How many times I used try that line with Mr. Feeny, Mr. Turner and . ..two folks who brought forth a mortal foe of mine?" Shawn sighed.

"Mortal foe?" Riley and Maya gasped.

" Miss Matthews be sure to give Mr. Matthews my compliments on his excellent security system. We're going now!" Shawn fumed as he clasped Maya's right hand.

"No, Daddy, I'm. .." Maya started to say as she broke her hand out of his grip.

"Who said you could have guests in this room without our express permission- especially an interloper?" Cory fumed as he wagged his right index finger at Riley while he came into Riley's room.

" Interloper? Well, I was just leaving! Don't worry! You'll never have to worry about either of us again and I'm going to have Maya transferred out of your class so she can get the chance to learn from a real teacher!" Shawn boiled.

"Don't worry about Riley because she's learning from a real PARENT!" Cory fumed.

"STOP IT!" Maya yelled.

"BOTH of you!" Riley added.

" OK, I'll show I'm the bigger man and communicate the first move. Riley, tell Miss Hunter to tell Mr. Hunter that he was totally out of line to dis my parenting and teaching and blame me for how Miss Hunter's phone call turned out," Cory fumed.

"Oh, yeah?! Well, Maya,tell Miss Matthews to tell Mr. Matthews that I hated seeing my little girl and my children's mother cry over something that could have been avoided," Shawn sneered while he clenched his fists.

"Shawn! You're supposed to. . That is. .Riley, tell Miss Hunter to tell Mr. Hunter that he can kiss my. .." Cory boiled while he clenched his own fists.

"Ooh! Teacher's going to say a no-no word! I'm telling the principal. Er that is, Maya tell Miss Matthews to tell Mr. Matthews that he's going to say a no-no word!" Shawn taunted while swinging at Cory.

"ENOUGH! ! Uncle Cory what was it you said about forgiveness being one of humanity's greatest gifts?" Maya asked while she did her best to hold back Shawn

"That doesn't apply to **non**-humans!HA! " Cory sneered while Riley did her best to hold him back.

"Uncle Shawn, remember that Christmas in which Maya reamed you out something good because she didn't like to see me hurt any more by you? Well, I'm going to do the same to you because I don't like seeing HER hurt either!" Riley proclaimed.

"HA!" Cory taunted to Shawn.

"And to you,too. Dad! Don't you EVER take out your baggage on Maya or any other student again!" Riley boiled.

"Fine," Cory groaned.

"HA!" Shawn taunted to Cory.

" Look, hearing my great-uncle say those nasty things about Gammy Hart, my grandmother Katharine Daly and Mom was one of the most hurtful, awful things that happened to me and I'm not going to pretend I'm fine with it but it happened," Maya started to say.

"Yeah, it happened and we can all blame . .." Shawn seethed.

"No one but my great-uncle for it and I'm just going to have to get through it!" Maya insisted.

"But I just hated seeing you so upset and since I couldn't get to your great-uncle to tear him a new one I had to. .." Shawn sighed as he hugged Maya's shoulders.

"Daddy, my whole life I wished for a father who wanted to slay all scorching dragons and I'm thrilled you're doing it. .." Maya started to say.

"But.. ." Shawn sighed.

"Ha! Ha! You've gotten 'butted'!" Cory taunted.

"Not now, Dad!" Riley sighed.

"'Kay," Cory groaned.

" But you can't slay all of them. Some of them will get through the moat and I'll get scorched while fighting their flames then move on, " Maya sighed.

" And truly is Maya's great-uncle worth trashing the lifelong friendship with Uncle Shawn?" Riley asked as she looked at Cory while Maya looked at Shawn,

"No," Shawn and Cory groaned together.

"Now, you two have trash talked plenty. How about you two listen to each other? " Maya asked.

" OK, I was wrong to say what I did about your raising Riley and your teaching. In fact, I think we've butted in quite a few times ourselves over the years," Shawn sighed.

"Well, I was wrong to have to not call you on your stuff over the years with Riley instead of having my daughter's friend have to do it," Cory replied- to which both Riley and Maya cringed worrying about Shawn's reaction.

"You're right! You should have called me on cutting out on all of you ages ago but it was worse for me to have done so and hurt Riley and cheat myself in getting to know her and Auggie until afterwards. I could kick myself for having wasted those years," Shawn groaned.

"Well, if it's any consolation. We've still got the rest of our lives for your family and mine to be as one as it should have always been!" Cory exclaimed as he hugged Shawn as the two of started to bawl.

"Cory, Riley!I'm sorry" Shawn bawled.

"Shawnny, Maya !Me,too! We can hug and make up!"Cory bawled.

Then the two of them hugged.

"Well, even though I didn't raise you from birth. I've got to say, I've always admired your guts, Maya! Not just in what you said now but if you hadn't said what you said to me that Christmas, my life would have stayed in that stupid tailspin forever. You took a big risk doing that to me, a stranger, on behalf of a friend. Thank you," Shawn sniffed as he hugged Maya.

"Yeah, I knew back then that it was technically not by business and you could have just dissed me, taken off permanently and Uncle Cory might have blamed me for that but I had to take the chance that there was something good that could come out of it for Riley," Maya explained.

" Not just me, Yama," Riley laughed while hugging Maya who nodded.

"Well, I guess it goes to show that putting oneself on the line and taking risks of stuff blowing up in your face . . sometimes good things can happen,"Shawn sniffed.

Then Shawn placed his hands on Riley's shoulders.

"Riley, please know that as angry as I ever got over Maya's great-uncle's rotten dis, I never thought for a moment you didn't do your part out of anything but love for my daughter," Shawn admitted as he looked straight into Riley's eyes.

"So we can all be friends again, right?" Riley asked.

"We never weren't even when we trash talked each other," Cory exclaimed while Shawn nodded.

At that point, he and Shawn did their goofy duo dance.

"Man, your dad and his pal sure are mushy!" Ava exclaimed as Riley's door opened to reveal Ava, Auggie, Judy Morgenstern and Topanga on the other side.

"Tell me about it!" Auggie groaned.

"I'm taking Ava home now and leave you lovebirds alone," Judy Morgenstern laughed as she took Auggie and Ava away.

"Topanga? How long did you listen to this? "Cory asked.

"The whole time," Topanga laughed.

" I almost wish Katy had. ." Shawn started to laugh.

"I have, too!" Katy replied as she popped up from beneath the window ledge climbed into Riley's bedroom

"Mom?!" Maya gasped.

"You shouldn't be climbing in your cond-" Shawn advised.

"Condition?! Please! I climbed trees and walls until almost time to bear Maya. Where do you think she got this trait from?" Katy laughed as she hugged Shawn and Katy.

" I know it's impossible but I like to imagine she got it from me," Shawn laughed.

" Why didn't you just climb the stairs like I did?" Topanga asked.

" An actress can't resist chances for dramatic entrances!" Katy laughed as she and Shawn hugged.

" Here's $5 for your gingerbread man, Cory," Shawn sighed as he took out the bill from his wallet.

"I'll try to bribe his eleven brothers downstairs to refrain from attacking you," Cory half-laughed.

" Cory, we bake those for customers to eat," Topanga laughed.

"SHH! Good thing we're two floors above them so they can't hear you!" Cory whispered.

" I don't know why you tried to seek out more kin, Maya. It looks like we plenty of loony ones as it is," Katy laughed.

"True but why not see if there might be some sane ones out there?" Maya replied.

"Sometimes it's not worth it," Shawn sighed.

"Is that why none of your family was at your and Mom's wedding?" Maya asked.

" Maya, that's different. Your daddy cut off his relatives for good reason," Katy explained.

"Katy, you know Jack was sequestered in that jury pool and the Matthewses got stuck in Philly until the reception was almost over while New Jersey got fogged over again," Shawn explained.

" Gorgeous, I'm not talking about Jack and the Matthewses. I'm talking about the rest of the Hunters," Katy sighed.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that,too. Now that you mention it,"Topanga offered.

"Have either of you ever MET any of them?! Shawn was like a prince among the lowlifes. I wouldn't want any of them within a hemisphere of my family either," Cory sniffed.

" Cory! You're talking about the folks I grew up with and loved!" Shawn gasped.

" Shawnny, you're a million times better than the whole lot of them put together and always were. No one blames you for cutting them out!" Cory pleaded.

" Aren't any of you listening? I didn't cut them out! They cut ME out!" Shawn shuddered as he started pacing back and forth.

"Oh because you didn't want to follow their scummy footsteps?"Cory asked.

"Not exactly," Shawn admitted.

"But why would they do that?" Topanga asked.

" Cory, remember the letter I got from Virna almost a year after Dad died?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, she admitted that she wasn't your birth mother but what does that have to do with the other Hunters?," Cory asked.

"Well, remember how it came in a big envelope and I shredded it immediately?"Shawn recalled.

"Well, I can't imagine anyone would be happy to find out that the woman who raised them wasn't their actual birth mother," Topanga sighed as she and Shawn both patted Katy on the shoulders.

"Yeah, it was a shock but I never for a moment doubted Mommy loved me like a daughter even though I was really her granddaughter," Katy gulped.

"Gammy Hart showed her love in millions of ways every day to you, Maya and, for the brief time I knew her, me- and I'll always treasure having known her even if she wasn't entirely honest in who she was to you," Shawn exclaimed as he hugged Katy and Maya who nodded.

"Shawnny, Virna didn't say that she'd always love you as a son regardless of not having borne you, did she," Cory gulped as his eyes got wide open.

"NOPE! She sure didn't- and she only echoed what all the other Hunters except for Dad and Jack said," Shawn shuddered.

"What did she say?" Topanga gulped.

" Katy, Maya, remember when Angela came by the bakery?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, sure. We were curious about your onetime love," Maya recalled.

"No doubt when you first saw here there, you thought that this would be a test to see if our new bond would last," Shawn recalled.

"Yeah, I did. It's not everyday that a woman that my man had loved before would walk into our lives," Katy admitted.

"Exactly! You were worried she might be a rival or might try to take me away. Nothing less but nothing more," Shawn pondered.

" Well, yes, but we've all become friends with her and her husband Jerad so what does that have to do with. ..?" Katy asked.

" Cory, did I ever tell you about that Saturday that Dad blew into Philly for a few hours a few months before he died?" Shawn asked.

"No, I don't recall that. Did it go bad?" Cory asked.

"Not at all. I introduced him to Angela and he shook her hand and said ' Nice meeting, you, Angela!' then a moment later he looked me in the eye and said,'Son, as long as you two love an' do right by each other, that's all that matters!' and gave a wink, " Shawn recalled- having uncannily recreated Chet's Georgian accent and wink.

"That's nice and all . .. " Cory started to say.

"No one has to tell me Dad had countless faults. I knew that better than anyone but that was one of his saving graces," Shawn recalled.

"That's great you have that memory of him but. ."Katy started to say.

"Katy, Maya. You may have thought Angela coming to the bakery was a test for me but, truth be told, how you reacted to her was a test for you two _also_!" Shawn admitted.

"What do you mean?" Katy asked.

"You two Hart ladies passed with flying colors! You treated her as you would have any other former flame of mine you might have met but, once you saw she had nothing but good wishes for our bond, you became friends with her! " Shawn beamed as he hugged the two of them.

"It was no big deal. Why wouldn't we have treated her any different?" Maya asked while she shrugged her shoulders.

" I think I'm getting it," Riley gulped.

"Me, too!" Cory added with a troubled expression.

"Wait a minute! Don't tell me Virna didn't. . I mean, I know she wasn't an educated person but surely she wouldn't have done. ..that," Topanga sputtered.

"I shredded her letter as fast I read it but those words will be scorched in my brain forever," Shawn boiled.

"Oh, no!" Katy gasped.

"This is something like why Lucas was willing to get expelled from his old school in Texas while defending Zay, isn't it?," Maya shuddered.

"YEP! She wrote 'I hear tell that you've taken up with some'. .. I can't repeat the next word, then she wrote' gal. I thank God I didn't bear a . ..' I can't repeat it .. .'-lover like you and my Eddie and Stacy are my pride and joy so I don't have to claim you no more now that Chet's a carcass,' end quote as Mr. Feeny would have said," Shawn seethed- having also uncannily recreated Virna's Southern accent.

"But. . Eddie and Stacy already had criminal records a mile long even then. Why would she think they were good and you were awful?" Cory gasped.

" I guess they could do no wrong in her eyes, "Topanga shuddered.

"She never even thought to give Angela a chance to get to know her for herself as she was instead of just hating Angela's outsides forever- despite all her bit. . .er. .wailing about being dissed for having an 'Eye-talian' father," Shawn groaned having again imitated Virna's Southern US accent when saying 'Italian'.

"No wonder you immediately tried to find your real mother instead of just staying shocked at the news," Cory sighed.

"Folks thought I envied Jack because his mother took him away from the trailer park and found him a rich step dad but that wasn't it," Shawn sighed.

" Really?" Cory asked.

"It was because his mother Elaine loved Jack enough to risk her own life to give him a chance to thrive by getting him away from our abusive,ugly drunken dad when he was still a baby! Why didn't Virna love me enough to ever take me with her whenever she'd run away from him? Why did she always leave me WITH him!?" Shawn sobbed.

"Shawnny,"Cory sniffed as he, Katy and Topanga all hugged Shawn while Riley and Maya patted Shawn on the back with their hands.

"You remember the look Angela gave me when I drunkenly shoved her into the door?"Shawn sniffed.

"Yeah, I've never forgotten it," Topanga shuddered while Cory sadly nodded.

"I saw Virna's face in that look and I didn't want that for Angela or anyone else I loved any more than I'd ever wanted it for Virna so that's why I've stayed sober all these years. I **loved** Virna and all of them but they ALL threw me away like garbage just because I didn't see Angela the way they did," Shawn sobbed.

"Daddy, maybe your real mother might be better. .." Maya pondered.

"My real mother? They never gave me a clue who she was, " Shawn sobbed.

"No one?" Katy asked.

"Except for Dad telling me in a vision after he'd died that she was a stripper who ran out on both of us after bearing me. How can someone who'd prefer tassels and feathers with strange men giving her perv looks to staying with me be better?" Shawn sobbed.

"It's not that high a hurdle, Shawnny," Cory sighed.

"But whoever she was, she never seemed to try to crawl over it. Why did she leave me with them? What could I have done that she'd dump me without a backwards glance with those two in that place?" Shawn sobbed.

"I don't know, Daddy, and it totally sucks but maybe she might have had good reason," Maya pondered.

"NO! I looked but she's stayed hidden. It's OVER! You, your mother, your new brother or sister, Cory, Topanga, Riley, Auggie ,all the Matthewses and, I guess, Jack are all the family I need! All the family any of us need," Shawn proclaimed after drawing his breath.

"But maybe my brother or sister. ." Maya pleaded.

" They've got all of us! I had to make it from babyhood to adulthood with a drunken, faithless, abusive dad and a nasty,abusive, neglectful step mom but I did it so who needs her now?," Shawn insisted.

"Shawn, you know Maya wants the best," Katy pleaded.

" We've already GOT it! " Shawn proclaimed as he and the other adults left Riley's Bedroom and headed toward the living room.

.

.

"Maya, you have that look," Riley shuddered.

"What are you talking about, Riles?" Maya said sweetly.

"Don't try the innocent, naïve deal with me," Riley insisted- as she grabbed Maya's arm.

" Don't worry. I'm not going to rock the boat seeking out missing Granny Hunter . . today,"Maya insisted while whispering 'today' in an almost inaudible pitch.

"You'd seek out Virna Cordelli Hunter after what Uncle Shawn just . .?" Riley gasped.

"Not her, Petunia! I wouldn't even spit on that one! I'm talking about Daddy's real. ." Maya insisted.

"Maya, your father just had a big meltdown recalling his rotten so-called parents and don't forget that our families nearly got train wrecked by that one phone call last night," Riley sputtered.

"Aren't you the one who always tries to look at the bright side? Besides, how could Daddy's mother be worse than either Virna Cordelli Hunter or my great-uncle?" Maya asked.

"Look, I remember how Mom and Dad got when she was carrying Auggie. It's tough enough to deal with parents normally but ,trust me, pregnancies make them more high-strung than the New York Philharmonic !" Riley pleaded.

"OK, I'll keep in mind what you've told me," Maya sighed and hugged Riley -all the while trying to think of when a good time to seek out Shawn's missing birth mother would be to say nothing of how.


	8. Virtually Insurmountable Obstacles?

Virtually Insurmountable Obstacles? (Chapter Eight)-

Later that night in Cory &Topanga's bedroom. ..

Topanga emerged from the bathroom in her knee-length, sleeveless green linen nightgown while absently brushing her hair while carrying a paperback book she was reading when she realized.

"Cory! Not the red silk pyjamas and red silk sheets again!" Topanga groaned- as she caught sight of Cory stretched out atop the bedcovers wearing those pyjamas.

"Come on, Panga Bear! Fight's done and over so let's do all we can to . ..make up!" Cory growled- as he hopped up to embrace Topanga.

"Cory, we weren't fighting. It was you & Shawn and me in one corner and me & Katy in the other corner who were," Topanga sighed as she put down the hairbrush and book.

"No need to split hairs. The important thing is making up!" Cory growled- as he bounced on his haunches.

" But we're not fighting and you're not cross-pollinating with Shawn," Topanga sighed.

"'Cross-pollinating'! Have I told you how much I love your retro-hippy terms- along with feeling your hair against my body?" Cory growled as he took a handful of her hair in his left hand and sniffed it.

"Mommy, Daddy! Am I glad you're awake!" Auggie exclaimed as he burst into the room.

"'Forgot' to lock the door again, Topanga?" Cory whispered with gritted teeth as he and Topanga straightened themselves up and each sat at the foot of the bed next to each other with their feet flat on the floor.

"Well," Topanga whispered back.

"Did you have a tummy ache or nightmare, Son?" Cory asked as he patted Auggie on the head while he and Topanga nested their son between them.

"No, but something's bugging me and I can't sleep," Auggie sighed as he came into the room in his pyjamas.

"What is it, Auggie?" Topanga asked.

" Ava and I heard you and Mommy along with Riley, Maya,Aunt Katy and Uncle Shawn and I was wondering. .." Auggie started to ask.

"Honey, how many times have we told you, it's not nice to listen to other people's conversations?" Topanga asked.

"To say nothing of listening to Mommy's and my . ..leap frog games!" Cory groaned.

"You can lecture me again tomorrow morning but I can't sleep now until I know the answer," Auggie sighed.

Cory and Topanga looked at each other and nodded- knowing that if they didn't answer his question, he'd never let them have their privacy.

"OK, Son. What's the question?" Cory asked as he mussed Auggie's hair.

"Well, Uncle Shawn was talking about that Virna lady hating on him because he loved someone named Angela. Isn't that Mrs. Crenshaw's name?" Auggie asked.

"Yes, Auggie. Angela is Mrs. Crenshaw's name," Topanga answered.

"But she's married to General Crenshaw and Uncle Shawn's married to Aunt Katy so how could he. ..?" Auggie asked.

"Yes, Uncle Shawn and Aunt Katy along with General and Mrs. Crenshaw are now married to each other but many years ago when me and Daddy were very young and were dating , before either of them met their life-companions, Uncle Shawn and Mrs. Crenshaw dated and loved each other," Topanga started to explain.

"Really? I can't believe it!" Auggie exclaimed.

"Why is that, Son?" Cory asked.

"Because they just act like you act with Aunt Katy and Mommy does with Uncle Shawn- not all gaga like you and Mommy or me and Ava," Auggie proclaimed.

"That's true now but way back when they DID love each other and considered becoming life-companions but they each had to work out what they wanted in life and they wanted different things at different times so that's why they didn't become life-companions. Do you understand what I'm saying, Auggie?" Topanga asked as she hugged her son.

"I think so but why would that Virna lady have hated Mrs. Crenshaw if she hadn't even met her and why would Uncle Shawn have cared if Aunt Katy and Maya had been mean to her if he didn't love Mrs. Crenshaw any more?" Auggie asked.

Cory and Topanga took deep breaths.

"You want to handle that one, Counselor?" Cory asked.

"I think this is something we both need our thinking caps for, Professor," Topanga replied as she and Cory each reached up with their hands and put on imaginary thinking caps on each other's head which always caused Auggie to laugh.

"Well, what if you and Ava broke up and you started seeing Susie Kendall?" Cory started to ask.

"Susie Kendall? YUCK! She throws gum in my hair!" Auggie protested.

"Yeah, I've had to untangle quite a few of her messes. Mean little bih. .biddy," Topanga fumed while picking up her hairbrush and hoisting it like a weapon.

"OK, maybe another girl in your classroom. Only she wasn't just mean to Ava because you no longer loved Ava but extra mean because Ava was like your Grandma Matthews's dad- your Great-Grandpa Cohen," Cory explained.

"But Ava's not a fossil like . ." Auggie started to say.

"Auggie! If you EVER want chocolate chip cookies or new sweaters from Grandma Matthews again, you can NEVER call her a fossil," Cory gasped as he covered Auggie's mouth.

"No, Dear! Your Great-Grandpa Cohen ,who your Daddy is a virtual clone of ,was Jewish and so are Ava and Mrs. Morgenstern. We talked about this," Topanga explained while Cory uncovered Auggie's mouth.

"I remember and that's why we have the fedora candlesticks every Christmas!" Auggie recalled.

"That's 'menorah', Son! Yeah to celebrate how keeping faith and hope alive helped some of our ancestors endure back in the day!" Cory recalled.

"But what does this have to do with Uncle Shawn and Mrs. Crenshaw?" Auggie asked.

"Well, how would you feel if Susie or whatever new girl was your girlfriend hated on Ava, not because of anything she said or did ,but JUST because Ava's Jewish? " Topanga asked.

"Why would anyone do that?" Auggie asked.

" I wish I knew but there are people who don't even want to try to give others a chance to know them for who they are just because they are a different faith or a different ethnic background and that Virna . ..lady as you call her hated on Mrs. Crenshaw for that even though she never met her," Cory groaned.

"That made Uncle Shawn very sad and mad, right?" Auggie replied.

"Yes, it sure did and Mommy and Daddy wish he'd talked about it to us before tonight but I guess he was too embarrassed that she did that," Topanga sighed.

" So anyone I ever love, you'll love,too! Right?" Auggie asked.

"We can't promise you that but Mommy and I promise that we will do our best to give the one you love a chance for all of us to get to know each other for who we are- no matter what they believe in or what they look like on the outside," Cory proclaimed.

"Thanks, Mommy! Thanks, Daddy!" Auggie proclaimed as he hugged and kissed both his parents.

"Your welcome, Honey!" Topanga beamed as she was hugging Auggie.

"Just as your Mommy and I think it's important to give everyone a chance on who they are instead of what they look like or what they believe in, so does Uncle Shawn which is why he was happy Aunt Katy and Maya feel the same way!" Cory explained while hugging Auggie.

"So you'll love me no matter who I choose for a live cop onion! " Auggie insisted.

"Yep! Whoever you choose for a 'live cop onion'! "Cory laughed.

"Daddy, you know that that's 'life COM-pan-YUN'! " Topanga giggled.

"Yeah, but I like Auggie's way of saying it! " Cory laughed.

"Thanks, Mommy! Daddy! Can I ask you one more thing?" Auggie asked.

"Sure, Son!" Cory insisted as he mussed Auggie's hair.

Then Auggie ran from his parents and to the head of the bed where he jumped onto the sheets and slid forward before Cory and Topanga were able to stand up and stop him

"WHEE!" Auggie shouted as he slid almost to the other side of the bed on the silk sheets before Cory caught him by the right ankle.

"Auggie!" Cory groaned.

" Mommy and Daddy, aren't you going to join me sliding on the sheets for fun?" Auggie laughed.

"No, Auggie! It's way past your bedtime and we all need our rest," Topanga proclaimed while looking directly at Cory.

"OK, Mommy," Auggie and Cory groaned.

"I'll walk you back to your bed and re-tuck you in, Son!" Cory proclaimed as he started leading Auggie back to his room.

"Can I play Lord Uncle Shawn of the Jungle when I get to bed? " Auggie asked.

"Not for another six years at least," Topanga laughed.

"He's the coolest uncle I've got! Goodnight, Mommy!" Auggie proclaimed as Topanga hugged and kissed him.

"Wait till I tell him that! " Cory half-whispered to Topanga.

"Auggie, we don't want to hurt Uncle Joshua's feelings so let's keep that to ourselves for now," Topanga insisted as she opened the bedroom door while her husband and son exited.

A couple of minutes later, Cory returned and locked the door behind him while thrilled to see Topanga under the silk sheets…

"Cor-Coa! Have I told you how much our talk with Auggie reminded me of one reason why I love you so much?" Topanga asked while she hugged and kissed Cory when he came back to bed and climbed under the silk sheets.

"Really, Panga Bear?! So, does this mean you're up for . ..spooning?" Cory asked with a leer.

"I'm always up for spooning with you, Professor, and, if you play your cards right, we'll see about the Professor and the Counselor recreating the Big Bang!" Topanga cooed while running her fingers through his scalp hair.

"RORH! But before we get started, let me do one thing," Cory laughed.

"What's that, Cory?" Topanga asked as she stroked his face.

Cory immediately pulled the silk sheets to his knees, kneeled , stood on top of the silk sheet mattress sheet ,jumped up once then then put his hands on the headboard before pushing himself off in the direction of the foot of the bed with his feet sliding on the silk sheets.

"WHEE!" Cory exclaimed.

"Cory," Topanga sighed as he finished sliding over the sheets as though he was surfing.

"That was FUN! OK, cartoon time's over so now to the adult portion of our program!" Cory laughed as he climbed back under the sheets.

. . .

. .

A week later at the Hunters' Apartment. .

"Maya?! You awake yet? It's almost time for school!" Shawn insisted as he banged on her door.

"Daddy, can't you put use your powers to get Uncle Cory to excuse me the rest of the day?" Maya asked in her bedroom.

" Can I come in? Are you presentable?" Shawn asked through the door.

"Sure! " Maya sighed.

"You're already dressed! It's getting late and I've got oatmeal and orange juice ready for you! Now get a move on!" Shawn insisted as he patted Maya on the left shoulder.

" You know it feels great to have a dad who does this for me. Did Mom had to leave early for Aunt Topanga's again?" Maya asked as she finished tying her left shoe.

"Yeah, something about a breakfast rush on croissants. You've managed to avoid any tardies this year, and I'd like to keep that record intact!" Shawn insisted.

"Daddy, why can't I just retire like you?" Maya asked as they left her room to the small table next to their kitchen.

" I'm not retired! I'm designing webpages for 10 clients at a time but if you want a job like mine where you don't have to wear a coat and tie or answer to a boss. .. "Shawn insisted.

"You need to get to school!" Shawn and Maya said together with Maya perfectly imitating his hand gestures.

" I got it, Daddy! Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if your mother had woken you up every morning to do this like you and Mom do?" Maya asked.

" Mrs. Matthews used to do that when I stayed with Uncle Cory," Shawn recalled.

" Well, maybe your real mother WOULD have had she been able to stay. ." Maya said before she realizing the words came out of her mouth.

"Maya!" Shawn fumed.

" I'm sorry, Daddy. I just hate that you don't know," Maya sighed as she sat down to her place at the small kitchen table.

" Look, what was done got done and there's no point in doing any more searching for someone who probably wishes I never was born," Shawn groaned.

" Well, I for one am happy you were born and I'm happy you and Mom are going to have a new baby," Maya insisted as she kissed Shawn's left facial cheek.

" Thanks, Maya! But you're STILL going to get to school on time!" Shawn laughed as he put the oatmeal and orange juice in front of Maya's place at the table while she started consuming her breakfast.

.

.

. ..Abigail Adams High in Cory Matthews' History Class. . .

Maya gave some more thought to what had woken her up early- namely that she believed that had to find a way to discover what had happened to Shawn's mother but she knew Riley wanted no part of it but she had to talk about it with someone who wasn't too connected with Riley and could help.

"I need strategy and you're the best! Meet me in front of Cafeteria Bathroom in 5 minutes" Maya texted on her Smartphone.

"OK"- Maya's text recipient texted back.

"So, who can tell us about the Origins of Reconstruction?" asked Cory.

Maya put up her hand.

"Well, miracles do happen! What have you got,Maya?" Cory beamed.

" It was about putting back together something that got broken like a vase," Maya sputtered.

"Maya," Cory groaned.

"Mr. Matthews, I've gotta go to the girls' room," Maya exclaimed as she stood up.

" Fine! Three minutes!" Cory insisted.

" It's that time of the. .." Maya insisted.

"Er. .uhm .. I meant to say three hundred minutes or three milleniums. Go do whatever you girls have to do … um. .um. ," Cory sputtered while getting beet red while Maya made her exit.

"Maya?" Riley called out.

"I'll be back!" Maya replied as she ran out the door.

. .

"I just left my Quantitative Literacy Class for this. This better be good, Maya!" Isadora Smackle fumed while standing in front of the Cafeteria Girls' Bathroom as she was about to push the door to go in.

"Not here!" Maya pleaded in a stage whisper.

"But you texted. .." Isadora protested.

"It's still too public! Anyone could walk in on us. This way!" Maya insisted as she grabbed Isadora's right wrist.

"Where are you taking me?" Isadora asked as they made their way to the Kitchen.

"Right here!" Maya sighed as they reached the Cafeteria Kitchen Staff Bathroom.

"In there? It's tiny and . ." Isadora protested.

"Aren't you curious about what I need your help with?" Maya asked.

"Well, despite it being of no benefit to my current academic trajectory, I have to admit being intrigued," Isadora sighed as the two went inside while Maya locked the door.

" OK, here's the deal. .." Maya started to say.

"You know, I never thought there could be a bathroom ickier than the regular Girls' Bathroom," Isadora gasped.

"Well, we're not here to use it! We're here to. .." Maya tried to explain.

" In point of fact, I DO have need for it and I'm not sure I can hold it in for the duration and there's not room for two of us in here if I sit," Isadora sighed.

"Oh, fine! I'll wait outside!" Maya fumed as she stepped outside closed the door behind her and hid behind the nearby cafeteria shelf.

Three minutes later. ..

" DONE now!" Isadora called through the bathroom door after flushing.

Maya went back inside.

"SHH! Will you be quiet?!" Maya hissed.

"Well, I hope to never have to repeat that experience in such cramped, ghastly surroundings," Isadora sniffed having redressed herself

" So it's not the Waldorf Astoria Powder Room. Can we get on with this, Smackle?" Maya fumed.

"Very well. What would you like my assistance on?" Isadora asked.

" OK, my daddy Shawn Hunter has no idea who his birth mother is," Maya started to say.

"You mean that Mr. Hunter doesn't have her current residence or surname?" Isadora asked.

"No, I mean he knows nothing whatsoever except for some weird thing about her being a stripper he says his own dad's ghost told him about her," Maya tried to explain.

"Preposterous. There's no such thing as. ." Isadora scoffed.

" Look it's all I've got, 'kay?" Maya pleaded.

"I'm sure an online search of the Birth Records could easily uncover. .." Isadora sniffed as she started to reach for the tiny bathroom's door.

"I already tried that! His Birth Certificate lists his stepmother as his birth mother but it's a forgery," Maya tried to explain.

" And you tried other online resources?" Isadora asked.

"Yes, of course! Just like Daddy did. There's nothing on who this woman could be," Maya fumed.

"So you think somehow _I_ have knowledge that the bureaucratic records have failed to uncover about a near-stranger's unknown mother?" Isadora started to laugh.

"No, I don't think you're THAT smart. You're not God!" Maya fumed.

" If you're going to insult me. ..!" Isadora fumed and started to leave before Maya pushed her back.

"I'm not! I just thought you might have some idea of how to search beyond just typing in search engine words," Maya sighed.

" To some it may be heresy ,but the Internet does NOT have all data and knowledge available but there is another way to obtain it,"Isadora pondered.

" What do you mean?"Maya asked.

"I'm surprised you haven't made use of your Freshman Biology knowledge," Isadora laughed.

"Biology? Shawn Hunter is my adoptive father, my mother's husband and my future baby sibling's father," Maya tried to explain.

"Yes, I am aware that you are not his biological offspring but you could find out his maternity very easily," Isadora insisted.

" What do you mean?"Maya asked.

"DNA! That's D. .N . .A. All in capitals," Isadora sniffed.

"Really winning points talking down to me," Maya fumed.

"Sorry, nothing personal," Isadora sniffed.

"I know what DNA is," Maya sighed.

"All you need to do is to tell him to submit a DNA sample and that can be matched to a maternal relative with shared mitochondria who could link him to his biological mother!" Isadora proclaimed.

"Oh, he'd totally refuse to submit DNA -especially dealing with the 'Net ," Maya sighed.

"That presents a virtually insurmountable obstacle," Isadora sighed.

" Insurmountable? Great, now we'll never know who she could be," Maya groaned.

" Virtually is a hypothetical estimate close to but not necessarily equivalent to totality," Isadora pondered as she patted Maya on the hand.

"Not equivalent. So you mean. .?" Maya asked.

"In the absence of consensual submissions, you may need to resort to obtaining it by subterfuge," Isadora pondered.

"There's a dark side to you that I had no idea about,"Maya laughed.

"In point of fact, we have a resource in very close proximity that could bring the solution to the forefront," Isadora insisted.

"Resource?" Maya asked.

" My current significant other and your friend- Farkle Minkus!" Isadora beamed.

"Farkle?! I know he has all kinds of computers and test tubes but. .." Maya sputtered.

"And could provide easy access to Minkus International's latest service- DNA HOORAY!"Isadora proclaimed.

"DNA HOORAY?! " Maya asked.

"One may submit a sample which can be correlated to the closest relative possible out of over 50 million clients in the US alone- for a mere $500!" Isadora beamed.

"$500?! Even if I sold every muffin me and Huckleberry ever made to every school in Manhattan, I'd be an old lady before I cleared that kind of profit," Maya fumed.

"I'm sure Farkle could be persuaded to provide you with a wholesale rate," Isadora pondered.

"Wholesale? I'm no charity case, "Maya sniffed.

"Suit yourself then. We can arrange to meet him at his apartment, " Isadora proclaimed.

" That would be tricky," Maya sighed.

" You know he'd be happy to do it as a favor to his significant other as well as his ladies!"Isadora beamed while rocking her head back and forth at the term 'significant other'.

" That's the problem. I've got to make sure Riley isn't part of this," Maya insisted.

" Your matching bookend?" Isadora laughed.

" Bookend?" Maya asked.

"Father used to watch **The Patty Duke Show**\- a comedy from the 1960's with the absurd premise of two identical cousins," Isadora explained.

"I seem to remember her. Didn't she die a few months ago but play Helen Keller when she was a girl," Maya pondered.

"That's correct! How did you know?" Isadora asked.

"Oh, when we were about eight, Riley and I saw a blind woman with a cane walking in the street and we asked Mr. Matthews about that so he showed us a DVD of that movie. I didn't know she also did a sitcom," Maya recalled.

"Well, she did- and one of the verses of the theme song went 'one pair of matching bookends/ different as night and day,' with Patty being hyperactive and intense on contrast to her Cousin Cathy being sedate and mature!"Isadora explained -having sung those two verses.

"That's Riles and me alright though no one would say either of us are sedate. So Patty Duke and someone else played opposite cousins. Cool," Maya pondered.

"No, Patty Duke played BOTH roles with a split screen," Isadora laughed.

"Really? Life would be so much easier if Riley could play both our parts at least during school hours,"Maya laughed.

"In point of fact, in her later years, Miss Duke would be diagnosed as bipolar yet she cheerfully admitted these two opposite characters were facets of her own personality extremes," Isadora explained.

"That's really something, Isadora. I'll have to stream that show sometime," Maya considered.

" I think it would be worth your time," Isadora pondered.

"But you're not bipolar," Maya sighed.

"No, but having a diagnosis of an unconventional neurological yet highly functional state of being, I have to admit having some empathy for what other unconventional high-functioning individuals have had to contend with down the ages," Isadora sighed.

"I think I get that. Anyway, thanks for your help with this, Smackle, "Maya proclaimed.

" Your query has proven to have been worth my interest and time yet I am not understanding your unwillingness for Riley take part in this venture," Isadora sighed.

"Between her being against my search for Daddy's mother and her having been caught in the crossfire over my search for Mom's previously unknown uncle being nasty to me causing our fathers going to war, I truly don't want her in on this. So can you keep this between us and Farkle?" Maya explained.

" I can only make declarations on my own behalf not my significant other's. However, you have my backing," Isadora proclaimed.

"Deal!" Maya agreed as she shook Isadora's hand.

"I suppose we need to return to class before we've been missed for too long a period of time," Isadora pondered.

"Funny you'd say 'period'," Maya half-laughed as she opened the Cafeteria Kitchen Bathroom.

"Mrs. Abdullah!" Isadora gasped at the middle-aged, Algerian-American heavyset cafeteria server of average height standing on the other side of the door.

" _Inshallah_, it's quite alright. My sister is in an alternative lifestyle," Mrs. Abdullah proclaimed with her slight accent and a shrug as she started to close the door behind her to step into the tiny facilities.

"But. ..we're not. .. " Isadora sputtered.

"Whatever," Maya groaned as she grabbed Isadora by the wrist and they ran out of the Cafeteria back to their classes.


	9. Breaking Away and Flummoxed

Breaking Away and Flummoxed- (Chapter Nine)

Cory Matthews's Classroom.

"Glad you could rejoin us, Maya! What took you so long?" Cory snapped.

"Didn't I tell you it's my time of. ..?" Maya scoffed as she sat back in her seat while Riley glared at her.

"Er. .um. .um. . That is we're glad you were able to make it back and not require . ..hospitalization," Cory stammered while getting crimson-faced all over again.

"Whatever! What was the lesson again, Mr. Matthews?" Maya sighed.

"Well. . " Cory stammered.

At that moment the bell ring.

"It's all about Reconstruction! You missed what steps it took for Tennessee to be readmitted as a Union state just a year after the Confederacy fell. Read pages 67 to 87 for your test tomorrow!" Cory called out as everyone left.

"Maya! What's up?" Riley hissed as they started walking out of class.

"Nothing. Just took a long potty break," Maya sighed.

"Remember how we compared our closeness to Dad and Uncle Shawn's? We left out the part that our cycles are in synch," Riley whispered.

"Yeah, Aunt Topanga says he's always practically broken out in hives whenever the subject of menstruation arises," Maya laughed.

"Don't try to avoid the subject of . ." Riley fumed.

"Subject?" Maya asked trying to sound innocent.

" It's not for another two weeks!" Riley fumed.

" I had an early visit this month,"Maya gulped.

At that moment Farkle's Smartphone made a noise and he saw the text.

**Isadora Smackle**:Significant Other, you need to invite Maya alone to your place so the three of us can work on a project. DO NOT INVITE OTHERS- especially Riley!

**Farkle**:Without Riley,Isadora?

**Isadora**:It's vital for the project!

**Farkle**:Something special for Riley, right?

**Isadora**:If you say so. Just do it!

**Farkle**:OK, Bye!

"Farkle? What's going on? "Lucas asked as he saw Farkle finish his texting.

"I'm not quite sure," Farkle replied.

"Maybe if you tell us, we can work it out," Zay pondered.

"It's not like that,"Farkle sighed as they all walked into the hall.

"So do you mind telling me why you stepped out so long without me on that bathroom break?" Riley asked as she grabbed Maya's right hand.

"It's nothing personal. ..except a bathroom break is personal," Maya sighed.

"Good thing our dads can't have cycles at the same time," Riley pondered.

"Although, they may defy biology and have PMS together!" Maya snorted.

"You're quite shameless, Maya- and I _like _it!" Farkle laughed.

"Great. Now that I've done my snark quota for the day. .." Maya half-laughed.

"Maya, Isadora and I need your help with a project so why don't you come to my place after school?" Farkle asked while wrinkling his nose.

"Great! I'll be there!" Maya quickly volunteered while dramatically exhaling.

"What kind of project?" Riley asked.

" A . .three-person project!" Farkle stammered.

"Great! I'll be happy to watch while the three of you do what needs to be done for whatever!" Riley beamed.

" I'm sorry, Petunia, but it would be too . . boring for you to just watch us do the project," Maya insisted.

"Well, I'm sure I can find a good Smartphone app to entertain me- and Farkle's Suite alone has more stuff than all the Tomorrowlands! " Riley beamed while Maya looked rather alarmed at Farkle.

"I hate to do this to you, Riley, but any outside presence would compromise the project's integrity so I'll have to insist on giving you a rain check for another time you can visit me," Farkle tried to explain.

"Farkle! A rain check? I thought you were my friend!" Riley sniffed.

"He IS!" Lucas insisted.

"Yeah,Riley!" Zay added.

"Then why is he shutting me out?" Riley groaned.

" Not permanently but I just can't invite you this afternoon," Farkle tried to explain.

"But you **can** invite Maya and Smackle?" Riley sputtered as the group was walking to the next class.

" Riles, you know we love you but . .." Maya started to say.

"And YOU?! How could you go agree to go to Farkle's Suite without me?" Riley gasped.

"Riley! It may help each of us grow if we get the chance to spend time away from each other so we can compare notes afterwards,' Maya pleaded.

"Spend time away?!" Riley shouted.

" Look, it's just this afternoon, Riles and. .. " Maya pleaded.

" Don't worry! I won't bother either of you any more," Riley sobbed as she ran in the opposite direction.

" Riley!" Maya shouted.

"I'll try to lasso her before she gets too far astray!" Lucas offered.

"Thanks, Huckleberry, " Maya sighed.

" I'm right with you, Hoss!" Zay added as he tipped his imaginary cowboy hat then joined Lucas in running after Riley.

"Maya, was that necessary?" Farkle asked after the two of them were left alone.

" I hate doing that but we MUST be solo in this project," Maya groaned.

" So what is this about. .?" Farkle started to ask.

"Shh! Not until we get back to your place with Smackle," Maya pleaded.

"Fine but as soon as we're done, we're going to have to make it up to Riley," Farkle insisted.

. .

That afternoon at Farkle's Penthouse Suite of the 120th Floor of the Minkus International Colossus skyscraper.

"So which way is your parents' suite from here?" Maya asked as they got off the turbo elevator.

"Oh, their Suite is one floor above mine,"Farkle explained as he pointed up.

" You mean you each have an entire floor for the size of a football field to yourselves?" Maya gulped.

"Everything required for my Significant Other and His Parental Units are contained within their respective floors," Isadora explained.

"Not exactly. Mother's and my gymnasiums are on our respective floors but Father's is in the subbasement," "Farkle explained.

"Not enough room for Mr. Minkus's free weights?" Maya laughed.

"Yes, that's it- not enough _room_ for Father's free weights on the titanium supported girders above my head! Heh, heh!" Farkle gulped.

"Manhattan Skyline,1910 featuring Halley's Comet. I'd know that anywhere! You sly dog, Farkle," Isadora beamed as she looked at the Suite's planetarium ceiling.

"Isadora, I remembered how much you liked that one," Farkle recalled as they hugged.

" You saved my Old Basement Room Replica along with the live stream!" Maya gulped as she saw that in one section of the room.

"I know you've got a new room in a better apartment building with your new father and are soon going to get a new baby sibling but I just want you to still be able to come back here and think of that earlier time, "Farkle explained.

" As sentimental as that is, Significant Other, I believe Maya and I need to appraise you of why your help is needed in this project!" Isadora sniffed with a clearing of her throat.

" Very well. I have to conclude that this must be very important to you if you're willing to risk having Riley's feelings being needlessly hurt," Farkle sighed.

" You're right. It is. Even though Daddy's new apartment has bigger rooms for us on the 4th floor and with the roof intact, I still am impressed that you've preserved that part of my heritage," Maya beamed.

"Maya, what does that have to do with. .." Isadora sniffed.

"I'm getting to it. Before Gammy Hart died and before Mom married Daddy, as angsty as things often got between Mom and I, at least I could always rely on Gammy even though she'd gotten so old and frail. I mean, parents are great to have but there's nothing like having a grandparent or another relative to help keep things real! " Maya started to explain.

"So, this has to do with Mrs. Hart's passing?" Farkle asked.

"To some degree. In another seven months, Mom's going to give me a baby sister or brother and it sucks she or he's not going to have any grandparents or great-grandparents around - at least on Mom's side," Maya sighed.

" If I recall correctly, Mr. Hunter's father died when he was still in high school but what about his mother? Do you think she may be reachable?" Farkle asked.

" That's the whole thing. First of all, Daddy found out months after his father died that the woman he thought was his mother was really his stepmother ,"Maya started to explain.

"That must have been as much, if not more, of a shock to Mr. Hunter as finding Mrs. Hunter's having found out that Mrs. Hart was her grandmother instead of her mother and that her own mother had died when she was a baby," Farkle sighed.

"At least Mom and I never had any reason to doubt that Gammy loved us but Daddy wasn't so lucky. His step mom Virna spelled it out to him when she wrote him a nasty letter rejecting him for having fallen in love with Angela Moore Crenshaw for her background rather than anything the future Mrs. Crenshaw had ever said or done, " Maya sighed.

"Oh, that's totally puerile and illogical to value pigmentation over actual character," Farkle snorted.

" I agree but that's her problem and she can rot in her own poison. I wouldn't want her anywhere near Mom or my baby sister or brother. But who Daddy's real birth mother is still a mystery. ." Maya concluded.

"So you want me to put in Mr. Hunter's swabs into the Minkus International DNA HOORAY Database? Sure what's one less mini-drone this week. Be glad to do it!" Farkle insisted.

"No, I appreciate your offer but . ." Maya sputtered.

" I know you're no fan of charity but consider this a gift. I've only got one grandparent in my life and wish I had more," Farkle sighed.

"But, Farkle. ." Isadora gasped.

"Let's not go there now, Isadora," Farkle sighed.

"What's that about?" Maya asked.

"Let's stick with you and Mr. Hunter's deal for now. Did you bring Mr. Hunter's swabs?"Farkle asked.

"No, I don't have Daddy's swabs. In fact, he's against any searches," Maya insisted.

"Does he know you're here? " Farkle asked.

"Of course. I texted him and Mom that I'm working on a project with you two," Maya replied.

" I have to admit being a bit confused as to how you intend to seek out and find your adoptive father's mother without his knowledge and, even if my Significant Other's database happens to unearth her, how do you plan to introduce him to her?" Isadora asked.

" If she's as bad or worse than Virna, then I'll take it to my grave and Daddy, Mom and my baby sibling will be spared her but if she's better then why not see if she might be there for him and the rest of us?" Maya asked.

"After over 30 years, you expect this unknown woman (if she's still living) to be an instant maternal and grandparent unit to your father and baby sibling?" Isadora sputtered.

"I can't say that I consider your logic flawless but it might be worth the result but I still don't understand why you've excluded Riley," Farkle pondered.

"Because she's against the idea AND she already got scorched when we unearthed my snotty great-uncle so I don't want her to get in any possible trouble for this," Maya explained.

"That makes sense but what do you plan to do about Mr. Hunter's DNA?" Farkle asked.

"Yes, we need to find a way to obtain Mr. Hunter's own DNA before starting out with anything," Isadora insisted.

"Well, I'm not about to go through sheets and underwear for it!" Maya shuddered.

"Don't be ridiculous! Farkle wouldn't ask you to do that!"Isadora sniffed.

"I'm relieved," Maya sighed.

"Human reproductive cells only have 23 chromosomes whereas all other cells in the human body contain the necessary 46 so they'd be a waste to collect for this," Isadora sniffed.

"We'd need a swab of Mr. Hunter's inner facial cheek cells for us to start the process. Do you have any idea how we could obtain them without his knowledge?" Farkle asked.

"Well, we could say we need it for the school project we're working on," Maya considered.

"First of all, there'd be nothing to stop Mr. Hunter from asking what kind of school project and there's few if any other uses for inner facial cheek swabs beside DNA extraction," Isadora snapped.

"And let's not forget that Mr. Hunter is besties with Mr. Matthews who could instantly tell him with a few clicks of a mouse that there are currently no school projects at Abigail Adams High requiring the swabs," Farkle added.

"OK, thanks for shooting down my ideas!" Maya groaned as she ran away from the main salon of Farkle's Suite toward her Old Basement Replica bed and laid her head on its pillow.

"Remember, this Replica was built for you to recall where you once felt hopeless to ever emerge from to inspire you to seek courage - not wallow in your past hopelessness," Farkle pleaded as he lifted her head up.

"OK, if we don't want Daddy to know that we're extracting his DNA to try to find his mother and we can't use any Abigail Adams project as a cover story, what about another kind of brainiac project," Maya pondered- as she hopped back off the Replica bed and started pacing, joined by Farkle and Isadora as the three paced in a circle.

"Well, Farkle and I do belong to many extracurricular adolescent scientific organizations that require each of us to conduct experiments," Isadora considered.

"That's good! Neither Daddy nor Uncle Cory would consider questioning their integrity," Maya exclaimed.

"And even if they tried, since neither Mr. Hunter nor Mr. Matthews are members of our clubs, they'd get no confirmations nor denials of our being members much less our projects' validity!" Farkle beamed.

"YES! That's good!" Maya squealed.

"We could say it was from the Ginsberg Group and we need it for one of their projects," Farkle exclaimed.

"But Significant Other and Maya, do you sincerely believe that Mr. Hunter wouldn't yet question why the Ginsberg Group would have need of his facial cheek swab even if he were convinced it was for one of their projects?" Isadora sputtered as she sat down in the Solar System patterned glove-shaped chair near Maya's Basement Bedroom Replica.

"Back to Square Zero," Maya fumed as she sat down in the Crab Nebula patterned glove-shaped chair.

"Maybe not. Perhaps we could say it wasn't the inner cheek cells that need testing but something else," Farkle considered as he kept pacing.

"But what?" Isadora asked.

"Well, those swabs are composed of plastic sticks tipped by fibers to carefully trap the inner facial cheek cells," Farkle pondered as he sat next to Maya in the Mars patterned glove-shaped chair.

"I GOT it! We could say the project's for testing on how absorbent the fibers themselves are! " Maya exclaimed as the three jumped up and hugged each other.

"I have to credit you for brilliance I would have never foreseen, Maya!" Isadora exclaimed in a squeal.

"Isadora, I wouldn't have chosen Riley and her to have been my ladies had I not considered them smart!" Farkle beamed.

"Why thank you, Farkle!" Maya cooed while blushing.

"But I must ask how you ascertained that conclusion, Maya," Isadora insisted.

"Well, Mom's been a server since she was a teen and if there's one thing servers must know it's which are the best paper towels and mops to clean up spills and she's never been shy about telling me what to use,"Maya explained.

"Then next you will need to find the best time to collect the inner facial cheek swab for the ostensible purpose of testing its fibers for our project, sealing it carefully in the plastic kit bag then delivering it back to me so I can put it in the DNA HOORAY database," Farkle explained.

"Seems a bit tricky but if you give me the instructions on how to collect, package then deliver it back to you, it just might work!" Maya exclaimed.

"Let me get a kit for you straight away," Farkle offered.

" You have one of those just laying around in your Suite?" Maya asked.

"Of course not. Minkus International Storage is found in our warehouse located from the 45th to the 83rd floors," Farkle explained.

"So, you have to call the Warehouse Foreman to go through 38 floors to find one of those kits? " Maya groaned.

"Of course not. All I have to do is put it in the order form on the Minkus Cart website including my account number then, after it's approved, it should be pneumatically tubed to here in 30 seconds," Farkle explained.

"Wait! You have a pneumatic tube station in your Suite?" Maya asked.

"Doesn't everyone?" Farkle asked.

"No, I'm afraid we left that part of the **Architectural Digest** design when we paid billions for that Central Park West penthouse,"Maya scoffed.

" I meant everyone who has a suite. Actually, I like hanging out at the Bay Window, Topanga's, your place, Lucas's and Zay's apartments. I feel I can grow there!" Farkle exclaimed as he patted Maya's right arm with his own.

"Significant Other, why not my abode?" Isadora asked.

"No offense, Isadora. You know I love you and your parents have been family friends to my folks for ages, but their abode is as relaxing as the San Andreas Fault," Farkle sighed as Isadora nodded before the pneumatic tube's bell sounded then he opened it to give Maya the DNA collection kit.

Maya then put the kit in her book bag.

A moment later, Stuart Minkus bounded into Farkle's Suite..

"Isadora and Maya! Helping my boy fulfill his potential?" Minkus asked.

"Hello, Mr. Minkus!" Maya and Isadora said together.

" We were here for a project," Maya explained.

"Can they stay, Father?" Farkle asked as Minkus put right his arm around his son's shoulders.

" As much as I'd like to support your hospitality with these young ladies, I was hoping you'd join me in a jaunt to our Adirondack retreat before sundown," Minkus insisted as he patted Farkle on the right shoulder.

" Adirondacks? I can't believe I'm the one saying this but we have school tomorrow and you won't get out of the Manhattan gridlock until at least six o'clock," Maya protested.

" Cars do not concern me. Not with my helicopter! " Minkus bragged while pointing upwards.

" Father, as much as I'd like to join you in stargazing tonight, I promised Maya and Isadora in helping them with their project," Farkle insisted.

"We can finish that another time. I might need time to think of how it needs to be executed," Maya pondered.

" Really, Maya?" Farkle asked.

" Hey! You've got a dad who wants to do things with you! I didn't have that until just two months ago so don't take that for granted," Maya pleaded.

"Thanks, Maya!" Farkle beamed.

" Well, that's quite insightful, Maya! I'd have never predicted that Mr. Hunter would have been fortunate enough to have offspring who'd appreciate the parental bond," Minkus proclaimed.

"Thanks, Mr. Minkus," Maya replied.

"Well, we don't want to keep you two from your celestial observations, Mr. Minkus so we'll be leaving directly," Isadora insisted as she started walking out.

"What kind of hosts would we be if we forced you two to have to navigate the city's traffic and subway system during rush hour?" Minkus sniffed.

"Oh, Mr. Minkus, we couldn't have you do. ." Isadora tried to beg off.

" It's no bother! I'll drop you two off at Topanga's (halfway between each of your dwellings )on the way to the Adirondack retreat. A tiny alteration of the flight plan," Minkus concluded.

"Really?" Maya asked.

"Really and in just another year, I'll be able to get Farkle licensed to fly his own!" Minkus laughed.

"Father, it would be a few more years," Farkle scoffed.

"So, I'll pay the fines and not get those Martian meteorites for my collection this month, " Minkus shrugged.

"Don't worry, Father. When I get to run the world, no minors interested in self-transport will need worry about fines!" Farkle laughed.

"How's Mrs. Minkus?" Isadora asked.

"Mother and Nana Bassett are throwing Aunt Barbara a huge baby shower in West Chester so Mother won't be back until tomorrow afternoon ," Farkle explained.

"Yes, Jennifer and Mother Bassett never thought Barbara would ever have offspring so they're going all out for her!" Minkus explained as he started to walk away.

"Well, give her our best regards when you next see her," Maya insisted while Isadora bugged her eyes at Maya.

" I shall be honored to do so, ladies!" Minkus replied as he tipped an imaginary hat and bowed slightly to them.

"What? Just because I act out and talk smack, I haven't learned any manners?" Maya scoffed.

"Well, I'll be repairing to the roof to fire up the rotors! I'll see all of you in ten minutes!" Minkus declared as he left Farkle's Suite.

. .

. .

As Maya was walking ahead on the 140th Floor to reach the helipad Isadora started to whisper to Farkle…

"Significant Other, I thought all four of your secondary progenitors were viable," Isadora whispered.

"They are," Farkle whispered.

"Then why did you tell Maya you only have one grandparent in your life?" Isadora whispered.

"Because, as the legendary newscaster Walter Cronkite said nightly, that's the way it is," Farkle sighed.

. .

That Afternoon at Topanga's Bakery with Shawn seated at his usual table. . .

" OK, Eric. Turn the camera towards your face! Nobody wants to see your elbow," Shawn groaned into his laptop.

"But my elbow's been with me all my life!" Senator Eric Matthews insisted as he patted his left elbow with his right hand on the other end of the laptop.

"It doesn't look Senatorial. Turn the camera around. "Shawn instructed.

"OK," Eric replied as he did a full 360 circle with it.

"Eric! STOP. Let's try this again. Turn the camera around until its pointed to your torso and face," Shawn sighed.

"How's this, Shawn?" Eric asked.

"Eric, why didn't you wear a suit instead of that Three Wisemen outfit?" Shawn groaned as Eric's face came back into view.

"First you say you want me to be Senatorial, then you say you want me to wear a suit! Make up your mind, Shawn!" Eric sniffed on the other end of Shawn's laptop.

"Eric," Shawn tried to say.

"And there's ..one. .one of me instead of three of me," Eric sputtered- after first attempting to count himself on his finger/s.

"Could you put T.J. back on? " Shawn fumed while doing a face palm.

"What's wrong, Gorgeous?" Katy asked as she brought a peach smoothie over to Shawn.

" And you wonder why I didn't want this for our baby by taking you to Chubbie's, Babe!" Shawn whispered as he pointed back to the screen.

"He IS a Senator so that's something," Katy laughed.

" Yeah, he's found his ideal group home," Shawn groaned.

"Shawn, what do you need me to do?" T.J. asked as his image came into view.

"T.J. could you help me explain to Eric what I need?" Shawn pleaded as T.J.'s image came onto the screen.

At that moment Riley burst into the bakery followed by Zay and Lucas.

" Are you not wondering why I have been abandoned by your daughter to a

life of solitude?" Riley sniffed.

"T.J., I'll get back to you in a bit. What's wrong, Riley?" Shawn asked.

" We're here for you, Pretty Brunette!" Lucas insisted as he and Zay entered Topanga's and ran up to Riley.

"Thanks, but a trio isn't the same as a hexagon," Riley sighed.

"There's usually five not six of you," Shawn countered while holding his right palm up then adding his left thumb to join it.

"Well, our bond is the 6th side!" Riley declared.

"She texted us that she's at Farkle's Suite working on a project with him and Isadora Smackle. I'm sure she's fine," Katy shrugged.

"But how can she be fine when_ I'm_ miserable and abandoned?" Riley groaned.

"Topanga, it sounds almost like she's on the verge of going Morticia again," Katy said alarmedly

"That's Morotia but I'll see what I can do!" Topanga gulped as she came from behind the counter.

"Mom, I don't think you can fix this," Riley sighed while Topanga hugged her.

"Riley, you can't expect every single friend you've ever had to stay in a fixed orbit around you for the rest of eternity. The world doesn't work like that," Topanga insisted.

"Great, Mom! Take Maya's side," Riley sniffed.

"I'm not but this one afternoon apart from her shouldn't be the end of the world. Nobody spends the rest of their life pining for a single lost best friend," Topanga pleaded.

At that moment, Cory Matthews walked in.

"Hello, Nobody!" Riley exclaimed.

"What did I do, Sweetie?" Cory sputtered.

" Your daughter sure got the drama llama deal honestly," Topanga sighed.

"Why does 'our daughter' become my daughter when she gets into a mood?" Cory asked.

"Does anyone who's ever known the two of you not agree which of you is more moody more often?" Shawn asked while Topanga nodded.

"Shawn," Cory protested.

"Oh, Dad! I feel so lost and alone. How did you deal with Uncle Shawn leaving you for all those years?" Riley sighed.

"Well, I made the best of my life with you, Auggie and your mother, " Cory recalled.

"Yeah, just like you can make the best of things with Lucas and Zay, " Topanga pleaded.

"Make the best ? What do you mean?" Riley asked.

" I mean, if your father hadn't been around and I'd had such a smart, attractive, loyal and preternaturally strong boy like Lucas following me when I was your age, I'd probably have borne at least ten children with him by now !" Topanga exclaimed with a laugh at the end.

"Topanga! " Cory sputtered.

"Sorry, I had to get that out sometime!" Topanga half-laughed.

" Mrs. Matthews, we heroes' trusty sidekicks have feelings,too! We're not just here for the laughs, " Zay protested.

" Mrs. Matthews, Zay, it's not about either of you! It's about Riley and how we need to help her cope with this," Lucas protested.

"You really would have preferred him over me had he been around when we first met?" Cory whined.

"That's not what I said, Cory," Topanga replied.

" I don't think she would have, Cory, " Shawn insisted.

"Good!" Cory said in relief.

"You're taking Shawn's word over mine on this?" Topanga scoffed.

"I mean, Topanga's always preferred you to me even when I was **Tiger Beat **worthy!" Shawn exclaimed while patting Cory on the shoulder.

"Thanks a lot, Shawnny.I can't tell you how HAPPY I feel after that," Cory sarcastically snapped.

" Guys! This IS about Riley and not either of you or Topanga," Katy pleaded.

"So, Dad, how DID you deal with Uncle Shawn being gone for so long?" Riley asked.

"I guess I held onto faith that one day he'd come back when he was ready and drop out of the sky back into my life," Cory recalled.

" Really?" Shawn gulped.

"Yeah, as much as love you, Auggie and your mother, I had to believe the Prodigal BFF would return or my life would have stayed empty," Cory recalled.

"Come on. No one drops out of the sky!" Riley scoffed.

" Maya more or less did through your Bay Window in giving me my overdue wakeup call to be your friend and get worthy to be her new father and Katy's husband," Shawn exclaimed.

"That's right!" Topanga declared.

" Oh, I'll be back with you all in a bit. I've gotta finish this convo with T.J. Murphy," Shawn explained as he plugged his headset into his laptop and started talking for the next couple of minutes..

.

"What's all that noise?" Zay asked.

"Come on! It's New York, there's always. .." Lucas scoffed.

"No, I think I hear something,too," Riley pondered.

"I got all that, T.J.," Shawn groaned as he unplugged the headset.

"Don't be ridi. .." Cory scoffed.

"It's a COP CHOPPER and it's coming this way! Come on! It's been over fifteen years since I've. .." Shawn groaned as he did another facepalm.

Soon, the entire building was hearing the helicopter and everyone at Topanga's ran outside to the sidewalk to see it.

"It's LANDED ON THE ROOF!" Topanga shouted but could barely be heard as the downdraft blew on all of them.

"It's not rescue, police, fire or military but it's got some insignia. MINKUS INTERNATIONAL?!" Cory shouted.

"MINKUS?!" Cory and Shawn shouted together.

" YES! BUT COME INSIDE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SHOUT!" Minkus exclaimed as he came from inside Topanga's Bakery and whispered into his microphone which caused his helicopter's loudspeakers to echo his speech. through a quarter of Manhattan.

Immediately, everyone ran back inside.

"Stuart, what are you doing landing your helicopter on our roof?" Topanga asked while everyone could still hear the helicopter while inside but able to talk over it.

" I was on my way to take Farkle to our Adirondack Retreat and thought I'd drop his friends here so they wouldn't need to use the subway during Rush Hour," Minkus explained while Maya emerged from the back of Topanga's to Katy and Shawn to hug them then did the same with Riley while Isadora also emerged from the back of Topanga's then batted her eyes at Lucas who shook his head.

"But our roof doesn't have a helicopter landing pad," Cory scoffed.

"Minkus? Is that really you?" Shawn gulped at seeing his former nemesis in person for the first time since they graduated John Adams High.

"Yes, Shawn, I actually gained more height than you!" Minkus laughed as he walked up and measured the difference between them.

"And contacts,too?" Shawn gulped as he gestured his thumbs and forefingers into 'glasses' around his own eyes.

"Nope," Minkus laughed.

"Laser surgery?" Shawn asked.

"Nah. Through intense ocular therapy and supplements of my own design!" Minkus exclaimed as he pointed to his individual eyeballs.

" Minkus, thanks for bringing the girls back. .." Cory started to say.

"And Farkle showed me the best route to here from the Rooftop via the Fire Escape, " Minkus proclaimed as he patted his son's right shoulder.

"That's nice but there's the matter of the roof not being a helipad," Topanga gulped.

"It's has enough of a flat surface for me to hover the helicopter at zero meters above it," Minkus explained.

"So nice that you've dropped them off but it's a bit loud and. .." Shawn exclaimed.

" We're not just here to drop the girls off, we'd like to invite all of you to join us at our Retreat for stargazing tonight," Farkle proclaimed.

"With parental permission, of course!" Minkus added.

" Tonight? But we all have school and work tomorrow morning, "Cory groaned.

" And I have to catch a flight to D.C. first thing _mañana_ " Shawn sighed.

"Daddy, do you really have to go?" Maya asked.

"I'm sorry, _Hijita_ (ee-HEE-tah), but I've got to see Senator Eric in person to put together his webpage. I'll be back day after tomorrow," Shawn groaned as he hugged Katy and Maya.

"We truly appreciate the offer, Stuart, but you see that we all have too much going on in the morning to be able to go there tonight," Topanga sighed.

" If only there was a means for all of you and your families to get there and back in time for your commutes and jaunts tomorrow morning," Minkus sighed.

"Yes, if only," Farkle smirked.

"Luckily, there IS! The Minkus Turbocopter can get all of us there in 20 minutes and we have plenty of room in our Retreat to accommodate all of your family and friends overnight and, if we leave at 5:30, we can arrive back here by 6AM!" Minkus proclaimed.

"I told you I'd make it up for you, Riley," Farkle proclaimed.

"You're awesome-sauce, Farkle!" Riley squealed as she planted a kiss on his right cheek.

"Isn't he?" Maya laughed as she and Riley grabbed each other's right arm.

"Yes, Farkle and I wanted to spend some good bonding time stargazing up there but he said there was no reason we can't do that without sharing our bounty with our friends so I'm happy to bow to my son's wisdom!" Minkus proclaimed.

"We're taking off in 30 minutes which gives everyone plenty of time get parental permission and changes of clothes and we're inviting everyone's parents- and Auggie,too," Farkle added.

At once, Maya and Riley pleaded together with their parents.

"Please, Mommy! Please Daddy!" Maya and Riley begged while tugging on their respective parents arms.

"Huddle time!" Cory insisted and got together with Topanga, Shawn and Katy and whispered while Maya and Riley tried to overhear as Isadora, Lucas and Zay all hung back -tempted to go with the Minkuses but none of them making a move until they knew what the Matthewses and Hunters intended to do.

"OK, since I'm the lawyer, they've made me the spokesperson!" Topanga proclaimed.

"Go get 'em, Counselor!" Cory cheered.

" OK, Cory, me, Riley, Auggie, Katy and Maya are going but Shawn has to meet with Eric in D.C. at 10 AM so he can't go but wishes us all well and all of you who get parental permission can join us,too- and any interested parents," Topanga proclaimed to all teens' cheers.

"Sorry to leave you behind, Shawwny," Cory sighed.

"It can't be helped. Thanks for the invite, Minkus. Truly, "Shawn groaned.

Minkus walked over to Shawn's table and put his arm on Shawn's shoulder.

" You're going to have a new little one in about seven months and as one father to another, I can confirm to you that Farkle's taught me that there's no such thing as can't," Minkus proclaimed.

"You've always told _me_ that, Father!" Farkle replied.

"I didn't believe it until you showed me yourself," Minkus laughed.

" But I still have to take the subway to LaGuardia and get that early flight to D.C. I'll have to leave the apartment even before your return," Shawn sighed.

"Three floors above us hovers the solution to your conundrum . I'm due to retrieve _Mí Pasionara _from West Chester tomorrow afternoon anyway from Mother Bassett's flat, so there's no reason I can't fly you over to D.C. beforehand after I've dropped everyone else off here," Minkus explained as he pointed tfirst to the ceiling then to the floor.

"Really? You'd do that for me," Shawn gulped.

"Really! And while you're working with Senator Eric, I can tour the Smithsonian and wade a bit in the Reflecting Pool before taking off for West Chester," Minkus insisted.

"Father, they don't like folks doing that," Farkle sighed.

"Last three times they gave me a Warning," Minkus scoffed.

"Well, that sounds good but.." Shawn pondered.

"And I've got nothing else for the day after tomorrow besides a board meeting I can postpone to later so I can pick you up from D.C. then! So what do you say?"Minkus asked.

"Can I sit in the co-pilot's chair? I've always wanted to do that!" Shawn asked.

"If it's okay with Farkle, " Minkus insisted.

"Sure, Father! I'll catch up with all my friends on the way there then we can go stargazing together afterwards," Farkle beamed.

" Thanks. .. Stuart. I never imagined that. .." Shawn gulped.

"Nor did I back then but I think we now have more than just considering raising our families our most important mission in common and I'm looking forward to you joining our circle," Minkus proclaimed as he and Shawn shook hands.

"Mr. Minkus, Zay's folks and my Mama have given their permission and accept your generous invite," Lucas proclaimed as he and Zay held up their Smartphones displaying the texts confirming permission and acceptance from their parents.

" And my parental units also have forwarded their consent and hospitality acceptance," Isadora proclaimed.

"Excellent! Everyone meet us on the rooftop with their parents, Auggie and your changes of clothes!30 minutes!" Minkus proclaimed before everyone cheered then Katy and Shawn had a brief conversation before they kissed and she ran out of the bakery with everyone else.

" You're going to help me close Topanga's down and lock up, Shawnny?" Cory asked as he and Shawn were alone.

"Sure, Katy already offered to pack my overnight bag and Lucas is with her and Maya to carry all our bags to Stuart's helicopter," Shawn explained as he followed Cory's lead and started taking down the pastry displays then boxing the pastries into storage and rinsing out the coffee pots while Cory turned off the register and locked the cash drawer.

" Yeah, I find myself rather flummoxed by how Stuart's changed for the better- and wait till you see how Jennifer's like these days," Cory laughed.

" I guess I need to give her credit that she wasn't able to counteract Stuart's positive influence on Farkle, " Shawn laughed.

" Shawn, she's not like that any. .." Cory pleaded.

"One ex-arch foe turned nicey-nice at time, 'kay? I'll believe it if I see it myself. Thank God she's in West Chester or none of us Hunters would have joined Stuart tonight, " Shawn proclaimed.

" I guess it's not easy to think someone tying you up to a boathouse could get better. ." Cory sighed.

" She HATED you and that's not something that would ever fly with me- even with a Minkus helicopter!" Shawn sneered.

" Fine, I'll back off on that," Cory sighed.

" Good. Now, are you really okay with Stuart being a great dad, rich and genuinely friendly and . .?" Cory asked.

"OK, since I've learned to like his boy in spite of myself, think he's a great dad, Maya and Katy like them and I believe he's outdone Scrooge and the Grinch in the Christmas Morning Nice Deal, I'm cool with it," Shawn shrugged.

"Great!" Cory proclaimed as he banged on Shawn's back.

" And I'm looking forward to riding in the co-pilot's seat in the helicopter, going star gazing in the awesome Adirondacks then crashing there in that cabin before he dashes me to D.C. and back- and no, I'm not going to blow this by trying to suck up for anything," Shawn half-laughed.

"Wonderful!" Cory exclaimed.

"There's just one thing I'm not cool with," Shawn groaned.

" What's that?" Cory asked, as he and Shawn started up the stairwell towards the Matthewses' Apartment so they could retrieve Auggie and the overnight bags.

" OK, I'm cool that Stuart no longer needs glasses but. ." Shawn started to say.

"But there's a but.." Cory gulped.

"I've gotta get this out. Why did Stuart have to grow up TALLER than us? Better looking than us? I always imagined he'd have stayed a four-eyed runt and looked like a grizzled and bald Feeny wannabee covered in zits and wrinkles after puberty to his death," Shawn whined.

" Mr. Feeny's not bald and how can anyone have zits and wrinkles at the same time?" Cory asked.

"It's what I thought would happen to Minkus and Dad had an aunt like that, OK?" Shawn groaned.

"Yeah, I have to admit I was a bit taken aback how he turned out,myself," Cory admitted.

"You're used to everyone thinking you look like a dork next to me but me not looking as good as Minkus is a tough adjustment for me," Shawn sighed.

"Shawnny!" Cory groaned.

"He even looks younger than us! Like Gets-Carded-At-Every-Bar and Gets-Mistaken-For-Farkle's-Big-Bro Younger!" Shawn fumed.

"You got that all out, Shawnny-Boy?" Cory asked before they entered the Matthews' Apartment.

" Sure! Now I'm cool and rolling with it,"Shawn sighed.

"Good," Cory replied.

"So tell me, does Stuart have any other secret abilities and powers you haven't shared with me?" Shawn asked as they opened the front door before joining Riley and Topanga helping Auggie get ready.

"Well," Cory replied while shrugging his shoulders.

. .

. .

.


	10. Get Tagged and Never Know It

Get Tagged and Never Know It?

Minkus Retreat, Adirondacks- Early Next Morning-

Shawn suddenly awoke in his suite. He saw the Katy was still sound asleep, so he tiptoed to the adjoining bathroom and closed the door behind him which automatically turned on the bathroom lights so he took a glass to fill it with water but when he turned on the tap. .

"Damn! Looks like Stuart forgot to have the water turned on,"Shawn muttered to himself as he put on the complimentary indigo silk bathrobe on the back of the door and put his suite key in its pocket.

Shawn padded his way down the carpeted hall to the timbered stairwell, then down the stairs to the large reception room with star charts over the fireplace instead of mounted stuffed animal heads, to the large kitchen while carrying his suite's glass with him but when he got to the kitchen. .

"What the Hell are YOU doing here?" Shawn and Harley Keiner asked each other at the very same time as they bumped into each other when backing into the large refrigerator.

"I had a bad nightmare and needed some water. How about you, Harley?" Shawn asked.

"Same but needed some cottage cheese to go with my ketchup packet," Harley replied.

"Cottage cheese?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, this place is like a very big cottage so why shouldn't it have its own cottage cheese," Harley shrugged-as he opened the refrigerator and looked for cottage cheese but closed it when he saw there was none inside.

"Makes sense except there doesn't and who carries ketchup packets in their leather vests? Who sleeps in leather vests anyway?" Shawn asked at seeing Harley in black and white striped sleeveless pyjamas, Phillies bedroom slippers and said vest.

"It's sheepskin so that'll draw the sheep to their pal's funeral and that'll put me to sleep," Harley explained.

"OK. Since I'm not sure where this convo's going to go, I'll just take my water and. .." Shawn gulped.

"Just a minute, Hunter. I gotta unload about my dream. You first!" Harley insisted .

"Wait. I didn't say I wanted to talk about it. It's just too weird," Shawn sputtered-as he filled his glass with water from the refrigerator door.

" You think the man who howled at the moon for being the first one on the telescopes to spot Betelgeuse will judge you- or do you think I'm going to chase you down and beat you to a pulp if you take off?" Harley asked- as he grabbed Shawn's right wrist.

" Since Maya, Riley, Farkle, Zay and Lucas all think you're cool and Stuart Minkus invited you to join the rest of us and even Auggie likes you, I don't think you're going to try to beat me up," Shawn concluded.

"Very good. I'd hate to think you'd think ill of me despite the fun we had joining everyone looking at the Milky Way last night. Did you ever imagine Four-Eyes Minkus being able to see that star no one else could see?" Harley asked.

"No, I can't say I ever thought he would- and, until Farkle confirmed its location on the star chart webpage, I thought he was bluffing," Shawn gulped.

"Yeah, I'd heard some folks can see the Andromeda Galaxy but I never heard of anyone who could describe the exact location of a star on one of its middle rims- right down to the size and color of it! What did he do to his eyes anyway?" Harley gulped.

"Beats me. OK, you wanted me to tell you about my nightmare. I dreamt I got chased down by eleven gingerbread men while they kept chanting 'This is for our brother Cory who you crushed to mulch !' " Shawn shuddered.

"Whoa! That's something! Mine's recurring. I keep getting chased down by a pack of baboons and they keep chanting ' Say thank you to our leader Johnny!' " Harley recalled as he opened a cabinet above the sink and took out a glass.

" Wait! Cory got you that maintenance job at John Quincy Adams Middle School!" Shawn recalled.

"You're not going to dump on me for bein' a custodian?" Harley asked.

"No, it's a good honest job and I've seen pictures on the website of how spotless it looks so I like that you take pride in the job and in the kids- just like Dad did for the time he was the John Adams High custodian," Shawn recalled.

" Yeah, I remember. Just cos I kept a lower profile my last year at John Adams didn't mean I wasn't there, "Harley explained -as he filled his glass with water from the refrigerator door.

" It didn't last long. Dad's good, sober times never did but when he WAS there and sober , being with him was fantastic and helping him do his job and looking those snotty kids in the eye was one of the best memories I have with him, "Shawn recalled.

"Yeah, when my old man took off and ditched me, Ma and Teresa, that was it! Never saw him again and I wouldn't know him from Adam if I did. I envy what you had there," Harley beamed as he took a sip of water.

"Really?" Shawn asked.

"Same here!" Minkus replied as he padded onto the scene in the kitchen- while wearing his own silk indigo bathrobe but with red linen pajamas.

"Stuart! Sorry, I hope we didn't wake you," Shawn gulped.

"You didn't. First of all the kitchen and all the rooms are sound proof- and second Jennifer called me at 2 in the morning to tell me that her sister Barbara woke up with a crying jag and insisted Jennifer had to stay an extra day so they could do retail therapy together with their mother," Minkus groaned as he took yet another glass from the kitchen cabinet and filled a glass with water from the refrigerator door.

" But didn't you say that Jennifer already was helping to throw her a two day baby shower along with Mrs. Bassett?" Shawn asked

"Yeah, but that only covers nursery and baby stuff and Barbara wants all new clothes for after she's lost her pregnancy weight and she wants Jennifer and their mother there for moral support," Minkus explained.

"I can get a plane back from D.C. if that throws a monkey wrench," Shawn gulped.

"Nope! I promised I'd fly you to and from there by helicopter and I meant it," Minkus declared.

"But won't Jennifer. .? "Harley asked.

"She can take a taxi back to Manhattan and hock some of her new threads for it," Minkus snarled.

" Really?" Shawn asked.

"Not really. I've already arranged for a limo to take her to the Philly airport the minute she's dropped from shopping and one of our private planes to take her back to LaGuardia with another helicopter to get her back to Manhattan with her loot. Happy wife. .you know the rest, right?" Minkus half-laughed.

"Yeah, Katy doesn't have her. .. interests but I'm happy to give her, Maya and this future baby what I can," Shawn shrugged.

"You ever think of getting married, Harley?" Minkus asked.

"Sure,I'm not like TK but I've barely got room for my welding equipment much less a wife in my apartment ," Harley replied.

"You mean, TK's never gotten married?" Shawn asked.

"Only to her Lamb of God. Teresa's a nun!" Harley half-laughed.

"She sure HAS changed!" Shawn laughed.

"Not really. She's a MEAN nun!" Harley shuddered.

"You did a commendable job helping my boy face his fears with that bully so. ." Minkus offered.

"Hey! I REALLY like this first time in eight years seeing stars instead of streetlights, car and building lights but I ain't just having you wave a magic wand to zap me an penthouse. Farkle needed someone an' it felt good to help him square off-an' his new courage was the only reward I needed," Harley scoffed.

" I was actually going to invite you to join me in sightseeing in D.C. while I drop Shawn off for him to work with Senator Eric tomorrow," Minkus insisted as patted Harley's shoulder with his left arm.

"D.C.? Is that where the National Gallery of Art's located?"Harley asked.

"Yep! And the US Mint among other things," Minkus added.

"Hmm, I've always wanted to see our Nation's Capital for myself and I've got about a year's worth of Personal Days I can use for the next two days, you've got yourself a deal on one condition," Harley insisted.

"What's that?" Minkus asked.

"That you tell us why you envied Shawn for what he had with his late dad," Harley insisted.

"Now, I realize that it's really none of our business," Shawn started to say.

" No worries. Harley swallowed some of his pride in accepting my invites so it's only fair I swallow a bit of mine in return," Minkus groaned.

" Stuart, are you sure?" Shawn asked.

" Yeah. I'm sure. I DID envy what you had with your late father- and he cleaned up for us in the Advanced Program part of John Adams High,too," Minkus sighed.

"You like that my dad cleaned up?" Shawn asked.

"No, I like that he wanted to make you proud and wanted to BE there with you. Do you recall a single time either of my parents were around?" Minkus asked.

"No, I don't even recall seeing them during our Graduation ," Shawn gulped.

"That's right. They weren't there for that day or any other time from the first day of kindergarten. I was too much of an egghead embarrassment for them to do more than avoid when possible," Minkus recalled.

"I'd have never imagined I'd live to ask this question back in the day much less be here as your invited guest but. .did Mr. Feeny ever try to talk to them?" Shawn asked.

"Yes, he and virtually every teacher and principal I ever had tried to reason with them and tell them that they should be proud instead of ashamed but it was like talking to two walls and refused to believe them- and yes, I tried to get to know them by offering to work in Dad's plumbing supply store. ." Minkus recalled.

"Did you just say. .plumbing supply?" Shawn snorted.

"What's so funny?" Harley asked while Minkus also looked in puzzlement.

"You used to call me a 'future plumber'! " Shawn laughed.

"That's right. I did. Can you forgive me?" Minkus asked.

" Plumbers' work may stink but their pay's great! " Shawn laughed.

"Go ahead. Rub it in. They'd have loved having a 'normal, average' kid like you," Minkus groaned.

"That's Cory, Morgan and Joshua Matthews not me! Besides, I don't think I'd have wanted to have been raised by such coldfish and, truly, I'm sorry you had to go through that," Shawn sighed.

"It was what it was and I've had to learn to accept if not like it and I have no need to have them even peripherally in my life. But the part that still stinks is how they've snubbed Farkle," Minkus fumed.

"Wait? They rejected Farkle,too?" Harley asked.

"Yes, from the day he was born and never have bothered to try to know him for the wonderful person he is," Minkus recalled.

"I can't believe any grandparents wouldn't want to try to get to know their own grandchild," Shawn shuddered.

" And their ONLY grandchild but they just dismiss him as the spawn of their egghead spawn they'd like to pretend they had no role in bringing forth to the world, "Minkus fumed.

" Look, inasmuch as we need to be awake in a little more than three hours, instead of stayin' sore over past. ..stuff, how about we give Shawn a toast?" Harley asked.

" A toast?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, we've all got water glasses- and I promise I won't break 'em," Harley enthused.

"Me either!" Minkus added.

"OK, what kind of toast?" Shawn asked.

"To finally making a real family for yourself despite having had to deal with your folks' . ..stuff- an' that goes for you,too, Stuart!" Harley cheered.

" You're right! We should be celebrating that! To new horizons with our real families!" Shawn enthused while he, Minkus and Harley clinked their water glasses.

" That was funny that you said you wouldn't break a water glass! Um. ." Harley laughed- until he tried to squeeze Minkus's right bicep.

"You were saying?" Minkus asked while smiling at Harley who went pale.

"What have you got under those sleeves? They make steel girders feel like marshmallows," Harley gulped as he abruptly unclenched Minkus's bicep while Minkus shrugged.

" Speaking of water. You may want to see about turning on the water for the suites so no one else has to come down to the kitchen in the middle of the night," Shawn considered.

"You're quite correct. I should have turned on the suites' water main before we all turned in but I'll take care of it now," Minkus declared as he walked out of the kitchen with Harley and Shawn wordlessly following him into the large main reception room.

"You've got the water main in the floor inside the coat closet?" Harley asked.

"Yes, for the suites. It's insulated from the cold, easy to access and few would consider looking for it there," Minkus added as he opened the trap door in the floor then lifted the steel water main cover with his left hand.

"Shouldn't you bring a wrench or a water main key?" Harley asked.

"No need. I've got this," Minkus shrugged- and before either of them could react, he grabbed the water main valve with his right thumb and index finger then turned it 90 degrees which caused a rush of water to be heard.

"D-d-id y-you j-just turn on the . . with your f-fingers?" Harley gulped.

"Harley, it's obvious that since he turned it as easy as Auggie could twist off a toothpaste cap, that Stuart's put in a space-age super-dooper easy valve-no doubt made by Minkus Tools," Shawn chuckled.

"No, I didn't. This is a standard water main. I'll put in a note on the Smartpad to remind me to shut it back off before we all leave at 5:30. Goodnight, Gents!" Minkus proclaimed as he lifted the steel main cover then put down the trap door.

"Goodnight, S-Stuart," Harley gulped.

"Aren't you two coming to get more sleep?" Minkus asked.

"Sure, we're right with you!" Shawn declared while he led the stunned Harley with them going back upstairs.

A few minutes later.. .

"Shawnny! This _better_ be very good! You woke me up at 3AM, we need to be onboard the chopper in a little more than two hours and I've got class in another four hours!" Cory hiss-whispered at Shawn as Shawn led the red pajama clad Cory down the steps.

"I just want to show you how strong I've gotten since I started working out a few months ago,"Shawn whispered.

"You woke me up so you could lift me off the floor and carry me like a distressed damsel the way you did in college?" Cory fumed in a whisper.

"Amateurs can do that! I'll show you some REAL brute strength which you can tell Katy about," Shawn whispered as he led Cory to the coat closet.

"Why didn't you wake Katy herself for this instead ?"Cory asked.

"Wake up my pregnant wife?! Are you kidding?! I don't want to chance not living to see my baby born!" Shawn sputtered.

"What was I thinking?" Cory sighed.

"Now I'll show what I'm talking about!"Shawn smirked.

"You can open a coat closet door. Big woo! Now let me get back to sleep," Cory fumed.

"No. Just have to lift the trap door like this," Shawn smirked as he anticipated pulling the wooden trap door with steel beam bracing and a rubber gasket with his right hand as easily as Minkus had done with his left hand until. .

"Unh. ..I guess it's not as . ..lubricated as I thought," Shawn gulped as he then braced himself, then grunted and lifted it open with both arms.

" So impressive. I can't imagine Katy not swooning over you every moment you're in her sight!" Cory sarcastically spat.

" Use the sarcasm to give me a hand with this valve cover," Shawn grunted as the two barely lifted the valve cover off the valve.

"So what do you wanna show me?" Cory asked as he grunted.

"The arms may not be superstrong but just watch my fingers of steel!" Shawn smirked as grabbed onto the water main valve with his right index finger and thumb- then discovered the valve was completely immobile to his fingers' touch.

"More like fingers of **jello**," Cory fumed.

"But Stuart turned this like it was nothing. It must be some kind of trick twist," Shawn grunted as he then tried to twist the valve using both his hands then (after sitting himself in the two-foot deep valve pit) with both his feet.

"Yeah, right, Shawnny! Get some sleep so you won't hallucinate so much," Cory fumed- as he banged Shawn's back.

" A bit early for sightseeing and there's no sunrise to see in the coat closet,"Minkus smirked while Shawn and Cory both gasped.

"But I. .." Shawn gulped.

"Cory, you need to lead our friend back to his suite. I wouldn't want to chance him straining his puny and fragile physique on these pliable apparati," Stuart proclaimed before he grabbed Shawn by his right shoulder, then pulled him out of the valve pit with one hand to slam Shawn's feet flat onto the coat closet floor with a loud bang in a single move before pulling down the valve cover then finally the trap door.

" Goodnight, S-Stuart," Shawn gulped.

"And I could show you how strong my _toes_ have gotten!" Minkus laughed as he held up his left bare foot.

" That's okay. We'll. ..see you in a few hours," Cory sputtered then they raced back upstairs to their suites.

"This is all your fault, Cory," Shawn hiss whispered.

"My fault? You're the one who woke me, you maroon!" Cory fumed.

"Yeah, but I asked you to tell me if Stuart had any extra powers or abilities and you didn't warn me about this," Shawn fumed before they each retreated to their suites- then as soon as he silently closed the door behind him, rubbed his right shoulder where Minkus had bodily lifted him up to his feet from the seated position as well as cringed at his soles now sore due to having been thrown so hard onto the floor.

"Ow," Shawn quietly whispered to himself- thinking of all the many times Minkus had done the same at Shawn's paper wads impacting him when they were in 6th grade.

.

.

Hunters' Apartment, the next day ,early morning .

Maya was in her room finishing getting dressed in jeans, undies, t-shirt and her turquoise sweater trying to think good time and means to collect Shawn's DNA later that day upon his return from D.C. when. ..

"Oh!No! DAMN!" Katy was heard to yell from her bedroom.

Maya instantly ran into her parents' bedroom.

"Are you alright, Mom?" Maya asked.

"Oh, it's these jeans! I can't fit in them. Not this soon! Please!" Katy groaned as she started to take off her jeans.

"Mom, you do know that you couldn't keep wearing those tight jeans for much longer," Maya gulped.

"Oh, Baby Girl, I went through this with you- and with these exact same jeans but not so early," Katy sighed as she walked into her closet in her maroon blouse and undies.

"Well, maybe my sister or brother will be bigger than I've turned out," Maya placated as she hugged Katy.

"Or maybe since I'm . ..a few years older, I'm going to gain more weight faster than last time," Katy sighed.

"Mom,Daddy's going to stay crazy about you no matter what," Maya consoled.

"Thanks for that. I just wish your father were here instead of in D.C.," Katy admitted as she hugged Maya back.

" Mom, he's returning this afternoon and I can't wait to hear all those stories he's hinted at with his texts, " Maya half-laughed.

"Me either. I know I shouldn't get so emotional since he gets back this afternoon on but I can't believe how empty this place seems without him," Katy proclaimed.

" I know but we've got each other, we're getting him back later on and we're all going to get a new baby in another seven months so it's not like it used to be," Maya beamed.

"True, and it's not like with Kermit when any time he'd leave for an errand, I wasn't sure he'd be back- or even if I really wanted him to come back," Katy admitted.

"So is it OK if I tell him about our branch of the family expanding?" Maya asked.

" He didn't bother to tell either of us about his new wife or kids until you confronted him over him leaving us so let them all find out when we post about the baby being born along with everyone else not in our friend circle," Katy insisted.

" Got it. I'm glad Daddy's my father now!" Maya proclaimed.

" And my husband. Well, why don't you help me decide whether I should go with the peasant skirt or the yoga pants with this blouse- and maybe we could go on a maternity wear shopping spree before too long?" Katy laughed- as she held up each item on a hanger.

"You sure?" Maya asked.

" It's a bonding thing and I want to show you myself how many adjustments we new mothers must deal with,"Katy laughed.

"Is this your passive-aggressive move to keep me from wanting to get all broody with the first guy I'm with?" Maya asked.

" I'll let you connect the dots!" Katy laughed as she patted Maya on the head while she hugged and kissed her.

. . .

. .

Later that afternoon, Shawn unlocked the apartment's front door.

"Maya! I didn't expect you here!" Shawn proclaimed as he carried in his overnight bag along with his laptop and GoPro as he hugged her shoulders.

"Mom's shift at the bakery's not done until late this evening and Riley's got detention for running out of school day before yesterday without giving notice," Maya explained.

" Surprised you haven't pulled that one yet this year. You sure you'd rather be here than with her?" Shawn asked as he put out his laptop on the coffee table and sat down.

" You know I'd go to the ends of the Earth with her but stay over at school to wait out her detention two days in a row? Farkle, Lucas and Zay are the saints, but I'm not," Maya explained.

" So is there something you want to talk about with me? I'm still kind of new at this fathering deal," Shawn explained.

"No, I just prefer catching up to you about your D.C. hop than waiting out Riley's detention," Maya shrugged.

" Well, you know how we all got surprised when Mr. Minkus picked up Harley Keiner at the last minute to take him with the rest of us to the Adirondacks," Shawn started to explain.

"Yeah, I can't say I was expecting our middle school janitor to come along for the ride," Maya laughed.

" If he'd stayed as he'd been in high school, I guarantee that all you kids would have jumped off the moving helicopter rather than want him anywhere near you, "Shawn laughed.

"Even Lucas,Zay and Farkle?" Maya asked.

" OK, Lucas would have probably just tossed him off the helicopter like he was a Chucky doll but Zay and Farkle would have beat you girls out the hatch! " Shawn conceded.

"So you wish Mr. Minkus hadn't invited him?" Maya asked.

"Nah! Are you kidding?! Mr. Keiner telling those stories about how stars and comets inspired his metal sculptures and making up those extra verses to 'Hole in the Bottom of the Sea' were some of the trip's highlights and he helped make D.C. rock!"Shawn laughed.

"I DID get a solid B on Uncle Cory's history quiz the next day so I was able to study a little more at the Retreat than I would have had we stayed in the city and I'd stayed plugged in," Maya admitted.

"That's great! I'm sorry I sold my cabin," Shawn sighed.

"Quit apologizing! You were able to put the deposit on this place with the funds and it's everything me and Mom could want and we couldn't go back and forth to that remote cabin!" Maya proclaimed.

"Yeah, but it's going to get very cozy in seven more months with your baby sib's arrival," Shawn half-laughed.

"We'll deal with that then. So tell me what happened in D.C. with Senator Eric," Maya replied as she brought juice bottles for both of them from the refrigerator.

"I thought it was going to just me pulling teeth getting anything halfway coherent from him but things went better with Mr. Minkus and Mr. Keiner there," Shawn started to explain.

"So Mr. Keiner was able to get the time off to fly D.C.?" Maya asked.

"Yeah, he said he was due about a year's worth of PTO and texted your old middle school," Shawn added.

"Really, they let him?" Maya asked.

"Yep. Anyway, T.J. Murphy and Agent LaChance were about to take Senator Eric to a school for homeless kids so he could give them a pep talk when Mr. Minkus and Mr. Keiner were set to drop me off at the Russell Senate Office Building and casually mentioned in front of Senator Eric about going to see the dinosaurs and airplanes at the Smithsonian Museums ," Shawn continued as he drank his apple/ carrot juice.

"What did their plans have to do with that?" Maya asked as she sipped her guava and pineapple juice.

"I'm getting to that. It got Senator Eric so excited that he insisted that we should all go there and take those homeless children with us to see those dinosaurs and airplanes. Seems he wanted to become _Senator_ Claus. Luckily, T.J. and Agent LaChance agreed! " Shawn enthused.

"Whoa! That's amazing but what about the school and busing them and. . ?" Maya started to ask.

"Once T.J. explained to the school what Senator Eric had in mind, the school was all for it and Mr. Minkus's D.C. staff has several limo vans available for their use so, within ten minutes, the drivers had us at the school where we picked up the 50 kids and a few teachers," Shawn explained.

"I'll bet it was loud!" Maya laughed.

" Not too bad but those kids were so happy at the thought of going to see dinosaurs and airplanes that they had no problems behaving. It almost didn't happen, though," Shawn sighed.

"Did the Smithsonian staff try to block them or anything?" Maya asked.

"No, once T.J and Agent LaChance explained everything to the staff, they were perfectly nice but Senator Eric got petrified when he read aloud the sign saying 'Smithsonian Institution'," Shawn sighed.

"You mean?" Maya asked.

"Yep, he thought that meant a mental institution and we were going to lock him up there but T.J., Mr. Minkus ,Mr. Keiner,and I all managed to calm him down - though he kept asking WHY such cool places with dinosaurs and airplanes would be called 'institutions',"Shawn explained.

"So, you took lots of vids with them at the Museum of Natural History and Air & Space Museum for Senator Eric's webpage?"Maya asked.

"That's right and now I have four hours of good footage to edit into about 10 five minute vids and many still shots for the webpage and I could put a few on YouTube," Shawn beamed.

"So did Mr. Minkus and Mr. Keiner mind having their quiet post-helicopter sightseeing trip overwhelmed by all of you?" Maya asked.

"Surprisingly, no! And as it turned out all four of us had been homeless at one point or another in our lives," Shawn shrugged.

" Really? I remember you saying something about being sleeping in your folks' trailer's empty lot but Mr. Keiner?" Maya asked.

"Had nowhere to go after his last prison term so he was homeless for five years until your Uncle Cory found him a dirt cheap efficiency and got him the janitorial job at your junior high school," Shawn explained.

"What about Senator Eric? " Maya asked.

"Depending on which of the Matthewses tells the tale, for a few years after he. ..escaped/left the 'psych ward'/'group home' but before he wandered into St. Upidtown, he was, " Shawn sighed.

"OK, and what about Mr. Minkus? " Maya asked.

" He tried to downplay the issue . However, the best I could make out was that between his parents renting his room when he turned 18 and his dorm deposit getting 'lost', he wound up having to camp out in a lab using its safety shower to keep clean for some time before he got together Mrs. Minkus, " Shawn sighed.

"He's sure come a long way!" Maya beamed.

"Yeah, in more ways than I'd have believed. He thinks you're destined for greatness, too and was impressed by your working with Farkle and Isadora on a project," Shawn praised.

Right then and there, Maya knew this would be the perfect time to harvest Shawn's inner facial cheek cells for the DNA.

"Glad you reminded me of it! What their project consists of is to see how saliva can flow through a newly developed fiber," Maya explained as she took out the DNA HOORAY swabs from the packet.

"That's odd. Why not just use water?" Shawn asked.

"Because as Farkle explained that since saliva is 99% water with a few other compounds, it would make a more effective study to use saliva. You want to help me with this project?" Maya asked as she recalled the pitch Farkle had texted to her a few minutes earlier.

"Sure. It's cool your sudden interest in science and you're nowhere close to joining the Nerd Herd," Shawn laughed.

"Cute, Daddy. Now hold still while I get some of your saliva for the fibers," Maya insisted as she got the swabs out.

"Why my and not your own saliva?" Shawn asked.

Maya hadn't thought of this ahead of time but .. .

"Um. .because male saliva has . .a different way of flowing than female saliva," Maya gulped- hoping Shawn would buy this.

"I guess that makes sense," Shawn sputtered.

"Now open wide and let me get the saliva I need!" Maya insisted while trying not to breathe too big a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure about this?" Shawn asked.

"Why would I make this up?" Maya replied.

" I can't think of any reason. Go on suck up all the saliva you need in the name of science!" Shawn insisted.

Maya quickly scraped the inside of Shawn's inner facial cheeks with the swabs then put them in their sealed sheaths.

"Done!" Maya proclaimed.

" Why did you scrape my cheeks for it?" Shawn asked.

"It looked a bit . ..runny to me . .so I had to scrape the cheeks to. . get enough," Maya gulped.

"But why didn't you just soak the fiber sticks under my tongue! There's a lot more saliva there!" Shawn insisted.

" I . .guess I forgot about that. No worries. It's all done and thanks for helping me with the project, Daddy," Maya proclaimed as she kissed him on his left cheek.

"That cheek's gotten it both sides just now," Shawn laughed.

"So what happened next?" Maya asked.

"Oh, I was getting to that. We had the rest of the day so we took the homeless kids to the National Zoo and Senator Eric cracked everyone up making all those animal noises," Shawn laughed.

"Don't tell me he tried to say he was talking to the animals!" Maya laughed.

"He thought he was- and I think he actually scared the rhinos with his snarling when he charged towards them!" Shawn pondered.

"Then, what? " Maya asked.

"Well, school hours were done so we took them back to their shelter and catered some Greek and vegetarian food for them- and gave their caregivers gift cards for new clothes and delivered the throw rugs Mr. Minkus donated," Shawn added.

"Throw rugs?" Maya asked.

"Yeah, he donated throw rugs with a world map on one side and a star chart on the other side! I'm getting one of those for the little one,too!" Shawn laughed.

"Then what did all of you? "Maya asked.

"Senator Eric had a few hours of busy work that he and T.J. had to catch up on back at the office which I took a few minutes of vid of for the website but then , Mr. Minkus, Mr. Keiner and I went to the Museum of American History and the National Gallery of Art then we went back to Senator Eric's Georgetown townhouse and the five of us roasted hot dogs and marshmallows in his living room fireplace while we caught up some more before we turned in!" Shawn laughed.

"That sounds awesome, Daddy!" Maya proclaimed.

"It sure was. Yeah, I can tell you none of us imagined the past two days together as friends would have been possible back at John Adams High," Shawn pondered.

"Oh, Farkle's texted me that Riley's detention's done and they're all heading for Topanga's!" Maya proclaimed.

" Go on! I can get started editing the footage and picking out the best photos for the website," Shawn insisted.

"Daddy, how about you join us and show us some of that along with the Adirondacks' vids?" Maya asked.

" It's still quite raw and it'll take the rest of the afternoon and night for me to get it in any kind of shape," Shawn sighed.

"Well, you can Fast Forward through the blah-blah stuff and we can have fun watching the good stuff, " Maya insisted.

"Are you sure about this?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, we all like you and Mom joining us for fun. Come on!" Maya insisted as they started to walk out the apartment.

"Wait! Don't forget about Farkle's Saliva Project!" Shawn insisted.

"You're right! I sure didn't want to forget that!" Maya said with great relief.

. ..

. .

Topanga's Bakery. .

" Well, Father and Mother are both back home so you won't have to shelter me again, Zay," Farkle proclaimed as he read their texts.

"Good! You about gave Mama a heart attack with that stunt you pulled last night," Zay scoffed.

" I'm sure yoga's not unheard of Austin," Farkle insisted.

"It's not but who sleeps with their legs and feet all twisted into a pretzel on top of a kitchen chair when the guest bed was all made up for you?" Zay sputtered.

" I needed to be focused and balanced," Farkle tried to explain.

"Mama thought you'd fall off that chair and bust your head clean open!" Zay protested.

" But Mr. and Mrs. Babineaux didn't make the slightest objection and we all enjoyed their company during our star jaunt," Farkle pleaded.

" We had fun up there and Mama and Papa are too polite but I saw Mama near have that heart attack so you can stay at Lucas's from now on when your parents are out of town," Zay proclaimed.

"Farkle, you can't expect others to embrace all your . ..uniqueness at once. Give folks time to get to know and love the real you," Riley proclaimed.

"Maya and Mr. Hunter are here!" Lucas exclaimed as they entered Topanga's.

"And we've got some footage to show of the Adirondacks and D.C. with Senator Eric!" Shawn proclaimed as they came inside.

"Welcome back, Gorgeous!" Katy proclaimed as she and Shawn hugged.

" Great! "Topanga declared.

. .

"Here's Senator Eric beneath Lindbergh's plane," Shawn explained a little later with all of them clustered around his laptop but keeping the sound off.

"Look, he's picked up one of the homeless children and is pretending to hop over the Atlantic with them like Charles Lindbergh did!" Katy laughed.

"Now Senator Eric is pretending to be a t. rex - and so are Mr. Minkus, Mr. Keiner, T.J and you,too, Daddy!" Maya laughed.

"Who did you get to hold the Go-Pro for that one?" Cory asked.

"One of the homeless kids named Sully. He did a good job pointing where I needed him to," Shawn explained.

" People forget that children have untapped potential- even if they have to live in homeless shelters or on the streets," Cory sighed.

"I know. That's why Senator Eric, T.J, Stuart, Harley and I would like everyone's help," Shawn explained.

"What do you mean?" Katy asked.

" It's all nice giving them a break from their sad situation. I know I'd have loved that had someone taken me to the zoo or a museum when I was a tiny kid but Cory, you're a teacher. Topanga, you're a lawyer and Katy, you're a performer. Maya, you're an artist. Farkle, you're a scientist. Riley you're a writer and dreamer. Luke, you're an athlete and Zay, you're a cut up," Shawn insisted.

"But what does that have to do with homeless children?" Maya asked.

"We each could use our own skills and professional expertise to give them the tools to fulfill their potentials despite their current circumstances," Shawn beamed.

"Even me? I'm not a teacher or a lawyer," Katy scoffed.

"But if you shared your performing skills with homeless children who'd also like a chance to be in the spotlight, you could truly enrich them- and make the most of your skills even when you don't think you'll be cast as a lead," Shawn proclaimed as he hugged Katy.

" That's a great deal to think about," Lucas pondered.

"It sure is- but don't underestimate yourselves. Your skills DID get help Senator Eric get elected," Shawn proclaimed.

"Whoa! You guys sure are rolling on the floor after whatever it was Senator Eric said," Zay laughed.

" See? Me in my plaid shirts and jeans, Mr. Keiner in his leather vests and gloves, Mr. Minkus in his turtlenecks are all from very different walks of life yet laughter's our common lingo and it's what's bonded us like glue!" Shawn proclaimed.

" Maybe one day, you'll look back and laugh about my lotus position in Mrs. Babineaux's kitchen, Zay," Farkle laughed.

" Well, Mama did say you were about as nice as Lucas so we could invite you anytime you need," Zay admitted.

"What's that?! Speak into the microphone!" Maya laughed while Riley hooked her right arm around hers.

"Before we forget. Maya's finished the Saliva Project for your and Isadora's project and she's brought it with her!" Shawn proclaimed.

"Thanks, Daddy! OK, here it is, Farkle. Good luck with whatever contributions it'll make in the name of science!" Maya proclaimed as she took it out of her small clutch bag and handed Shawn's sheathed and bagged DNA swabs for Farkle to put into the DNA HOORAY data base.

"You don't know how relieved I am you were able to pull it off," Farkle insisted as he put it away in his book bag.

"Now, Farkle, your father has a great deal of confidence in Maya's skills and abilities and I think we'd better make sure we never underestimate where they may take her!" Shawn proclaimed as he patted her on the right shoulder.

"Here's some footage of all of you at the National Zoo and each of you are carrying a homeless child piggyback," Riley proclaimed.

" Yeah, that's some of Sully's footage again!" Shawn proclaimed.

"It looks like Stuart's carrying a picnic bench piggyback with five kids AND three teachers on it and look how stunned the rest of you look there! Did you teach this Sully kid some trick photography?" Topanga laughed along with everyone else while Shawn, Cory and Farkle all cringed.

"Yeah, it sure looks like that! I'll just skip through that boring stuff and get to our time clustered around the telescopes seeking out stars in that retreat! " Shawn proclaimed as he skipped back to the earlier night.

While all the adults as well as Riley, Lucas, Zay all felt as though they had renewed purposes and zests for life thanks to the aftermath of their adventures and discoveries of the last two days, Maya and Farkle weren't entirely sure that he'd be able to pull off putting in Shawn's DNA into the database- much less the consequences of what results might be wrought.


	11. News and Data

News and Data (Chapter Eleven)

Topanga's Bakery, Late October, 2016.

Eric and T.J. Murphy walked in (wearing their usual business and semi-casual attires) accompanied by a woman.

She was in her late 50's with light brown hair (with bangs and in a chignon) and blue eyes 5'4" tall, wearing a grey merino wool sweater that highlighted her prominent bosom, with a small wooden cross necklace atop a high-necked purple blouse, a emerald green below-the-knees skirt, scarlet cotton hose and black espadrilles.

"Eric, Tommy! What brings you here and who is she?" Topanga asked.

"To get some coffee and strudel then chew the fat,Pangers!" Eric replied.

"Topanga, we've heard about your group's work with homeless children and we've brought an expert to help. Topanga Lawrence Matthews meet Reverend Lydia V. Bolling," T.J. Murphy insisted.

"Reverend Bolling! You seem a bit familiar but I don't recall.. ." Topanga pondered.

" If it's all the same to you, Ms. Lawrence Matthews, please call me Lydia," Lydia replied in a light Southern accent.

"Please call me Topanga,"Topanga insisted.

"Happy to oblige .Although it would almost be easier to address you by your less unusual surnames instead of your given name," Lydia added with a small laugh as she and Topanga shook hands.

" I get that a lot. Wait! You're the minister who runs Dandelion Fields! We use your starter and flour all the time here! Of course! " Topanga exclaimed.

" That's just the means for my flock to learn to plough their own furrows," Lydia laughed.

"Please sit down and welcome! Your meal's on the house!" Topanga enthused as she led them to a table.

" Lila Feeny told me that all of you and your young ones have been helping give boosts to homeless children so I'm here to help you organize!" Lydia insisted.

"My husband Cory, Eric's brother, should be here in another hour along with our daughter Riley and all her friends. My manager Katy and her husband Shawn are at the OB but may finish in time to join us," Topanga explained.

"Have they been blessed with a little one on the way?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, and it's kind of funny seeing that they're about my age," Topanga laughed.

"And they're already raising my niche's pal Moesha!" Eric shrugged.

"That's Senator Matthews's niece's friend Maya, " T.J. laughed.

"Did you say your manager's husband name was Sean?" Lydia asked a bit eagerly.

"Yes, spelled S-H-A-W-N. Why do you ask?" Topanga replied.

"No reason," Lydia sighed.

"OK," Topanga said in uncertainty.

"No need to get in a swivet over it. Not when there's a slew of needy young ones who need our help!" Lydia insisted.

"We're looking forward to working with all of you- since Mr. Minkus has dropped that warehouse in your laps!" T.J. exclaimed.

"Quite a windfall you folks have gotten but it takes more than an empty building to make a house a real home!" Lydia cautioned.

" It'll work as long as it's got a roof, plumbing and wi-fi, Miss Dilly Dally!" Eric laughed.

" Senator Matthews, please not now,"T.J. groaned.

"Sorry, Mr. Murphy. I didn't know I was supposed to be on Podium Behavior," Eric cringed.

"Shucks, I've been called far worse and he meant no harm," Lydia laughed.

"Thank you for not being upset with my brother-in-law," Topanga half-laughed.

"All of the Good Lord's flock marches to our own beats,"Lydia laughed.

"Great, Miss Dilly Dally! You get me!" Eric beamed as he hugged her.

" Now, Mr. Eric, Mr. Thomas, Miss Topanga,as I was about to say, it's a blessing that you have an eager flock to help shelter these little ones but it takes a heap of work and prayer to make it happen!" Lydia cautioned.

"We're glad you're here help guide us," Topanga insisted.

"Yes, I'm sure, Cory, Shawn, Katy and all our friends will be interested!" T.J. added.

. . .

.

OB/GYN Office of Dr. Bethany Lowenstein, Manhattan.

Dr. Lowenstein, a 40-something redhaired ponytailed, green-eyed average height woman with wire-rimmed glasses, in a charcoal business pantsuit but wearing her cloth embossed white lab jacket over it, stood up as Shawn and Katy Hart Hunter entered her office.

"Come inside, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter. Glad you could both make it I've finished your exam and blood work!"Dr. Lowenstein proclaimed as she shook their hands and motioned for them to sit down.

"Is everything going okay with the baby or could my extra weight gain be causing a problem?" Katy (wearing a maroon peasant skirt and blue blouse along with a purple sweater) asked as she and Shawn sat down in chairs opposite Dr. Lowenstein.

"What do you think, Mrs. Hunter?" Dr. Lowenstein asked.

" I know I'm older than when I had Maya and there's all kinds of temptations at our bakery but. .." Katy gulped.

"Babe, I'm telling you, you don't like any fatter just _fuller_ up there," Shawn consoled while taking her hand.

" Thanks a lot, Shawn!" Katy snapped.

" Mrs. Hunter, your husband is correct. You've only gained a small amount of body fat which is expected for a pregnancy but you have put on more weight than usual for a typical non-multiple gestation," Dr. Lowenstein replied.

"What do you mean a 'non-multiple gestation'? " Katy asked.

.

. .

. .About an hour later in the Manhattan streets while walking back to Topanga's. .

"_Twins_?!, I can't believe it, Shawn!" Katy while laughing and crying at the same time.

"Well, at least we know it's not from eating too many pastries," Shawn tried to laugh.

"Shawn, before we say anything else to anyone else, I have to get this out," Katy said with a deep breath.

"Of course, Babe. We're in this together," Shawn replied as he took her hand.

" You spent a good part of your life calling yourself a screw-up but you've done right by me and Maya more than anyone since Mommy," Katy proclaimed as she clutched and kissed Shawn's hand.

"Thanks," Shawn beamed.

" I wasn't finished. But when you screw around, you REALLY screw around! Twins!," Katy exclaimed in a surprised, bemused voice.

"We have a lot to think about. Not the least of which is how we're going to fit them in the apartment," Shawn sighed.

" I know, but we need to tell Maya as soon as we can, " Katy sighed.

"Regardless of how she reacts, we're in it together," Shawn insisted as he kissed her hand as they were a block away from Topanga's.

. .

.

"What is it, Lydia?" Topanga asked as the Lydia's phone rang.

"I truly hate having to cut our meeting short but one of my flock urgently needs me to tend her. Please give your other colleagues my regrets," Lydia sighed as she took her clutch bag and started walking.

"We can give you a ride back there instead of you having to catch the train back," T. J. offered.

"We can?" Eric asked.

"Oh, I don't want you gents to go to any trouble on my account. I take the train all the time," Lydia shrugged.

"Since you help so many recovering addicts, former sex workers, ex-cons and homeless folks, we know time's not a luxury in getting to those in need at the earliest time possible .Agent LaChance's got our van parked right here. He can dodge through traffic better than a Pamplona bull through tourists!" T.J. laughed.

"Thank, gents. It was lovely meeting all of you," Lydia exclaimed as she shook Cory and Topanga's hands then nodded to everyone else while standing up from the table and walking out., T.J and Eric started walking out while waving.

"Sorry, Niche[Riley], Moesha[Maya], Scarecrow[Lucas], Robot[Farkle] and Robin Hood [Zay]. Tommy means business," Eric gulped as he and T.J. waved to the others while exiting.

"I wonder what we'll segue next to after that exit?" Zay asked Lucas who shrugged his shoulders.

"Farkle, how is that 'Saliva Project' going?" Maya asked - using the code name she, Farkle and Isadora had all previously texted each other with to use in place of Shawn's DNA being in the DNA HOORAY! Database whenever Riley, Lucas, Zay or any of their parents were around.

"Oh, it's fine but it should be another month before it gets completely analyzed before it can begin to be matched," Farkle replied before he immediately cringed and Maya shot him a dirty look.

"Matched? Why would saliva need to be matched?" Riley asked.

"It's the fibers. Anyway, Go Knicks!" Maya half-laughed

"We're BACK!" Shawn proclaimed as he and Katy entered the bakery.

"Oh, you just missed Senator Eric, T.J and the Reverend Lydia ," Cory groaned.

"Reverend Lydia?" Shawn asked.

"Reverend Lydia Bolling from Dandelion Fields came with them to help advise on the homeless children's shelter we're all putting together," Topanga explained.

"But she had an emergency happen with one of her flock so Eric and T.J. drove her back," Cory added.

"She's really cool- for an older preacher lady!" Maya laughed.

"I'm not sure I want a clergy person in on this," Shawn groaned.

"Shawn, we know how you came close to getting permanently scorched by Mr. Mack but she's not like that," Topanga pleaded.

"She's been helping folks in need find their own paths," Cory added.

"That's what Mr. Mack said but you know he wanted to take me away from everyone who loved and cared about me," Shawn scoffed.

"Wait! Was that the same Phillip Mack who ran that Centre in Philadelphia ?" Farkle asked.

"How did you know about that?" Shawn asked.

"Mother and Father both talked to me about how his followers tried to entice each of them to join," Farkle recalled.

"Mr. Mack wanted your _parents_ to join up?!" Topanga gulped.

" It seems Mr. Mack had somehow heard through the teen grapevine about their strained relations with their own parents," Farkle shuddered.

"Even during my worst clashes with your folks back then, I wouldn't have wanted that fate for either of them , " Shawn shuddered.

"Agreed. So how did they avoid his siren song?" Topanga asked.

" Father told them his muse was science and the universe while Mother just snubbed them something fierce," Farkle explained.

"Glad to hear she used those snubbing powers for good," Shawn half-laughed.

" Anyway, they later told me about what Mr. Mack's group had attempted with them so I'd be wary of folks like that," Farkle recalled.

" They wanted to take teens away from their loved ones? How awful! What happened to that group? " Riley asked.

" I remember. Look it up. It will give you chills," Katy shuddered as she clutched Shawn's arm while he, Cory, Topanga and Farkle all grimly nodded.

Maya, Riley, Lucas and Zay all did so on their Smartphones .

"Mr. Mack and his 25 teen followers. . . VANISHED into thin air?!" Riley gasped while the others also went pale at seeing the results.

"It was all over the media in the late '90's," Katy recalled.

" There were some who theorized that they were taken away by flying saucers while others theorized a mass suicide," Shawn sighed.

"What do you think happened to them, Daddy?" Maya asked.

"I know they disappeared just days after Mr. Turner's near fatal motorcycle accident - and after Mr. Feeny, Mr. and Mrs. Alan and Amy Matthews, Eric, Cory and I all told the FBI everything we knew about the Centre and the Feds seemed ready to nail them," Shawn recalled.

"You really believe Mr. Mack could have had something to do with Mr. Turner's accident? I mean, from what I was told, he was very upset over your getting involved with that cult and. .." Topanga pondered.

"Mr. Turner had been a flawless biker, that night's weather had been ideal and the cops said his Harley had been sabotaged so I don't put it past Mr. Mack to have had that done that as a 'warning' to me - while pretending to console me," Shawn seethed while Cory, Topanga and Katy shuddered.

"We're glad we were there for you," Topanga exclaimed.

"Cory, if you had not kept me in that hospital room with Mr. Turner so I could try to help him instead of just letting Mr. Mack lead me away like a sheep to the slaughterhouse, I'd have shared whatever fate the Centre had," Shawn shuddered as he hugged Cory for dear life.

"How awful!" Riley exclaimed while everyone else nodded.

"Well, Shawnny, our lives would have been destroyed having to see your face on milk cartons and highway posters for so many years," Cory gulped as he hugged Shawn back before they broke the hug.

"It's awful whatever may have happened to them and nearly happened to you . However, Mr. Hunter, not all who preach are like the Pied Piper," Lucas pleaded.

"Yes, Gorgeous. Remember we were married by Reverend Feeny. Not **all** ministers are like that," Katy pleaded as she took Shawn's hand.

"True, but I knew Mr. Feeny for ages before our wedding so I knew he was an exception to the charlatan rule. You forget some of Dad's kin preached by day and sold patent medicine by night," Shawn scoffed.

"Tommy and I each checked out Reverend Lydia, "Topanga started to explain.

"You know no one safeguards kids from bad guys more fiercely than those two," Cory beamed.

" Yes, Reverend Lydia had been an ex-con but she's helped so many others with shattered lives become productive and independent folks ever since- even before she was released. She was just here to advise us how to set up the facility for the homeless children not to try to take it over," Topanga added.

"She said she was sorry she missed you and Katy but, you know, Shawn, I'm glad she did because you'd have fouled up the waters first thing and not given her a chance," Cory snapped.

" She's nice!" Riley beamed.

"I said she's cool," Maya added.

"She's very smart," Lucas exclaimed.

"Sincerely interested," Isadora added.

"Not to mention, genteel and poised," Zay added.

"I'll bet she was hot in her day!"Cory added.

"Cory! " Topanga groaned as she swatted his left arm.

"Well. .." Cory shrugged.

"I guess we'll all meet in due time," Katy replied.

"Not if I see her first," Shawn scoffed while shaking his head.

"Well, we didn't come here to argue. We have news! Right, Shawn? " Katy exclaimed.

"OK, fine. Right. We have important news!" Shawn exclaimed.

"So, what did the OB/GYN say?" Topanga asked.

"Need a new diet?" Maya asked.

"Is everything OK?" Riley asked.

"Is it a boy and are you calling him 'Cory'?" Cory asked.

"Hold on! We need to pick up Maya so we can tell her the news," Katy insisted.

"Mom, Daddy, what's going on?" Maya asked.

" We've got some big news about my pregnancy that we need to share with you," Katy pleaded.

" Oh, no! Mom, Daddy. If you have any bad news, can you give it in front of our friends here?" Maya asked.

"Are you sure?" Shawn asked.

"Please, Daddy?" Maya pleaded.

" I imagine you might want the support and we need to share it. So if you're sure,"Shawn pondered.

"Yeah, I'm sure!" Maya replied.

"OK, we'll tell everyone here at once," Shawn proclaimed after Katy nodded.

" What is it, Mr. Hunter?" Farkle asked while Riley, Isadora, Lucas and Zay as well as Cory and Topanga all nodded.

" In another six months, we're going to have . .. "Katy started to say when she took a dramatic deep breath and Shawn clutched her left hand in his right hand.

"TWINS!" Shawn and Katy exclaimed together.

"WHOA! Shawn when you screw around, you . .." Cory started to say.

" Katy's already said that," Shawn half-laughed.

" OK, I guess you'll want maternity leave right away," Topanga countered.

"Hold on! I'm fine! It's a shock and I know I'm getting bigger than I ever imagined I'd be but Dr. Lowenstein said as long as I stay active and we watch them, there shouldn't be any problems," Katy cautioned.

"We can discuss that as your needs change," Topanga cautioned.

"The ultrasound seems as though they're both growing fine at this time," Shawn insisted.

"So, will it be Shawn, Jr. and Baby Cory ,Shawn, Jr. and Baby Cora or Baby Shawna and Baby Cora…?" Cory asked.

"That would be SO weird, Cory," Topanga sighed.

"We decided we just want to know how healthy the babies are as they grow NOT what they're going to be until they're born!" Katy insisted.

"And we're not promising ANY names just yet! Got that, Cory?" Shawn laughed- as he jabbed Cory's right bicep with his own right index finger.

"_Two_ babies at once?" Maya asked.

"Yeah, I'm afraid you'll be outnumbered from Day One, Baby Girl," Katy half-laughed as she hugged her firstborn.

"On, come on, Maya! We can get all kinds of clothes and toys for them and we can pretend they're our own. ." Riley beamed while taking Maya's arm.

"If the six of you want to volunteer to babysit, that would be great!" Shawn insisted.

"Whoa! Now, we don't know much about babies," Lucas gulped.

"Yeah, except for Riley, we're all only children!" Zay added.

"Then it would be good to practice a bit like Mr. Hunter, Mrs. Matthews and I sometimes did with my little sister Morgan and my baby bro Joshua way back when," Cory insisted.

"Cory, you realize that Joshua and Riley were the last babies I've held in my arms ," Shawn gulped.

"Well, we have a great deal to practice and we all have a great deal of work to do on that homeless children's home before that happens," Topanga insisted.

"You think we can get everyone on board, Mrs. Matthews?" Farkle asked.

"You know Mama and the Babineauxes' are on board!" Lucas enthused.

" Not to mention, I think I can get some of our old gang back together,too," Topanga added.

"Really? "Cory asked.

"Yeah, between Shawn and Katy's having twins and us building that place for homeless children, we have a lot of work ahead for all of us and we'll need all the help we can get!" Topanga laughed.


	12. Eric and Riley's Realizations

Eric and Riley's Realizations (Chapter Twelve)

Minkus Warehouse #23 (East Side, Manhattan)- One Month Later [November, 2016]

Minkus and Farkle walked Senator Eric, T.J., Cory, Topanga, Shawn, Katy, Harley, Riley, Maya, Lucas, Zay and Isadora to the large Elephant Door at the front of the 150 foot tall dockside warehouse then Minkus flipped the overhead light switch to reveal a tiny part 500 foot deep cavernous space.

"Sorry, I wasn't able to get here earlier but. ." Eric apologized.

"The less said about what happened, the better, " Shawn groaned.

"If not for Eric needing me, I'd have kept my blog, stayed the Thorn and been able to take down but . .." T.J. Murphy groaned.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Tommy!" Topanga sighed.

" I could have cloned him," Farkle offered while patting T.J. on the back.

" Son, I told you. No cloning multi- cellular organisms until you're of legal age," Minkus warned.

"Yes, Father," Farkle groaned.

"But the important thing Eric, Tommy, for us and those kids is that you're here for them another term even if there are others we wish were not," Cory groaned.

"Let's stay cheerful, Dad. We've got this ginormous warehouse and it shouldn't be too hard to . ." Riley beamed until Minkus threw on the lights of the main part of the Warehouse.

"Ew! It's filthy and disgusting. Why did you ever buy this, Mr. Minkus?" Maya asked.

" I had hoped to use it for storage but only was able to use it for mixed martial arts and parkour practice," Minkus sighed.

"What happened to all those bent and broken steel storage crates?" Zay asked.

"Yeah, some of them look all twisted into knots," Lucas gulped.

"Father ran out of employees and longshore workers to spar with. ." Farkle sighed.

" I covered all their medical expenses. .." Minkus protested.

"In any case, we thank you for donating this to us but we have a great deal of work to do to get this ready for the homeless children," Topanga insisted.

"We'll need to turn these rooms into dorm rooms, class rooms, shower and bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms, store rooms,play rooms and so forth," Cory added.

"Not to mention, carefully finding the right permanent staff to care for them," Katy sighed.

"It sure sounds like it's going to be a neverending venture," Maya gulped.

"Just like parenthood and life, Baby Girl!" Katy laughed.

"Well, I can't think of any other folks or causes I'd rather donate this to but I must get back to the office so I bid all of you farewell for now," Minkus insisted as he started talking away.

"Bye, Father/Minkus/Mr. Minkus/ Stuart," the group replied.

"I'll be back at my Suite at 2200 hours, Father," Farkle insisted.

"It's a school night so try at 2000 hours, Farkle!" Minkus laughed as he banged Farkle's right shoulder and exited.

"See you then, Father," Farkle replied.

"So who do you have help us?" T. J. asked.

"My Aunt Morgan, for starters," Riley proclaimed as Morgan walked in.

"Well, don't forget I've renovated houses,office buildings and warehouses for the last five years so I think I have some expertise,"Morgan Matthews insisted as she walked in from the left side door carrying a hardhat and wearing construction boots and pink coveralls- as well as protective goggles.

"Sister Weasel!" Eric exclaimed.

"Glad you could make it, Morgan!" Topanga exclaimed.

"And, this counts for good extracurricular credits AND it'll burn off some good college angst," Joshua Matthews added as he walked in from the right side door.

"Joshua Boing!"Maya swooned.

"Wow! All four of us here together! If only Mom and Dad. .." Cory exclaimed.

"You walked right into that one, Son!" Alan exclaimed he walked in the middle door as he hugged Cory then the rest of his offspring.

"I always do," Cory choked while Alan hugged hm.

"With Joshua at NYU and the rest of you long gone, we're seriously considering moving to an assisted living duplex along with the Feenys so we could use the practice renovating," Amy explained as she came alongside her husband.

"Mom?! You and Dad are selling our home?" Cory sputtered.

"Yeah, Mom and Dad how can you let anyone else stay in my room?" Eric asked.

"Eric, you've got that Georgetown townhouse in D.C., and that cool Upper West Side apartment,"T.J. recalled.

"And they've let you keep the key to the Mayor's Longhouse and Sauna in St. Upidtown,"Shawn added.

"But they're not my old room," Eric groaned.

"Uncle Cory, could you talk to Uncle Eric?" Maya asked.

"But he's right. It's not fair Mom and Dad are letting others stay in our old room," Cory whined.

" Now cheer up, Uncle Eric. We've also got some of the gang's folks helping us,too," Riley pleaded.

"Yeah! Here comes Mama now!" Lucas exclaimed as she entered.

"Rachel?!" Eric gulped as he saw her for the first time in ages.

"Yes, it's me, Eric- Rachel McGuire _Friar_ !" she exclaimed -as she hugged Eric.

" You're part of my niche's cleech?" Eric gulped.

"His niece's clique, Rachel," T.J. explained.

" Tommy. It's so great seeing you all grown up! " Rachel proclaimed as she hugged him.

"Great seeing you again, Big Girl !" T.J. replied.

"Wait! Why are standing so close to Scarecrow?" Eric asked.

" She's my Mama!" Lucas declared while hugging Rachel.

" But you stayed in the Peace Corp while Jack left and then met and married Caleb Friar of Austin, Texas then had your son Lucas and you two moved to New York," Eric pondered.

"That's right. I'm glad you under-. .." Rachel sighed in relief.

"So how could you be Scarecrow's Mama?" Eric asked.

" Uncle Eric, 'Scarecrow' is what you call Lucas," Maya tried to help.

"So you moved to Texas and had your son Lucas then the two of you came here while you're fixing to become a schoolmarm," Eric pondered.

" An elementary school teacher. That's what I said in my letters," Rachel explained.

"So YOUR Lucas Friar is the SAME Lucas Friar who's Scarecrow! That's like thundersnow flashing twice!" Eric exclaimed.

"Or like you getting elected Senator," Rachel laughed.

"Rachel, he's actually somewhat good!" T.J. proclaimed.

" I know. He's done more to help children in the year he's been in office than the previous one did in five terms! I'm proud of you, Eric!" Rachel beamed as she hugged him again.

"Won't Kale Caleb mind you hugging me so much?" Eric asked as he blushed from her hug.

" You know he can't," Rachel sighed.

"Why ?" Eric asked.

"Mama, don't!" Lucas hugged Rachel started to cry.

" It's been twelve years but it still hurts," Rachel sniffed.

" I know," Katy consoled.

"Thanks, Katy but. .." Rachel started to say.

"It nearly was that long after Kermit left me and Maya before Shawn came into our lives but the rejection was still raw until quite recently," Katy consoled.

"But Caleb didn't leave me. He. .." Rachel sniffed.

" Mama, please don't," Lucas pleaded.

"Now, don't be harsh against your mother for feeling so raw about your father's absence ," Topanga pleaded.

" Topanga, when we're alone. There's another thing about Lucas. .." Cory confessed.

"Dad?! Another secret you kept? Please don't tell me it's worse than him being expelled," Riley sputtered.

" Wait! I'm thinking back to Austin. Farkle, do you remember Pappy Joe asking about Lucas's dad (his own son)even once ?" Maya gasped.

"Now that you mention it, no. But I don't think my grandparents ever mention anything to their friends about Father or me so. ." Farkle pondered.

"But did the senior Mr. Friar so much as make the perfunctory query about how his son was or use that regional protocol to plea with Lucas to give the middle generation his regards?" Isadora asked.

"No, he didn't," Farkle recalled.

"And why was it so important to Pappy Joe that his grandson Lucas rode Tombstone for 'Friar pride' if his son could have done it?" Maya asked.

"_Tombstone_?!" Rachel gasped.

"And why wouldn't Lucas's father not have made any objections on his son's behalf?" Farkle asked.

"Lucas's mother sure would have- had I known!" Rachel boiled.

"Pappy Joe knew I could do it so we didn't think you needed to worry. .." Lucas gulped.

"'Didn't need to _worry_?!' I hope you enjoyed that trip to Texas because it's the very last one you're taking without me until your 18th birthday!" Rachel boiled.

"Now, Mama," Lucas pleaded.

"Don't you, 'Now, Mama', me. We're going to finish this discussion elsewhere right now!" Rachel boiled as she grabbed Lucas's right ear and started to pull him away.

"She sometimes did that to me, too!" Eric exclaimed.

"Yes, Mama," Lucas groaned as he started walking with Rachel.

"And have you been telling folks that your Daddy is 'away' or 'out of town' instead of. .?" Rachel seethed.

"Mama! Stop!" Lucas pleaded.

"Now I remember: Kale Caleb's . ..dead,"Eric gulped while Rachel and Lucas both sadly nodded and all of Lucas's friends except Zay gasped.

"Mama,why'd you have to tell my friends I'm a fatherless orphan?" Lucas gasped.

"Mrs. Friar, you know he meant no harm. .." Zay pleaded.

"You mean like Pappy Joe 'meant no harm' risking all I have left of Caleb Friar to ride the monster Tombstone?!" Rachel seethed as she took Zay's ear and led them both out of the main part of the warehouse to a small office then kicked the door shut behind the three of them.

"Mrs. Friar!" Zay was heard to plea.

"Looks like Scarecrow and Robin Hood are going to get the stuffing taken out by Rachel," Eric gulped.

"I think I'd better go make sure Lucas and Rachel are going to be okay," Cory gulped as he started to leave the group.

"No!Dad!" Riley seethed as she grabbed his arm.

"Riley?" Maya gulped.

"Dad! First you kept Lucas's secret that he was expelled in Texas and now it turns out that you knew his father was dead but you let him lie to us about the man being alive! How many other secrets have you kept from me?"Riley seethed.

"Riley, your father was trying to teach you a lesson," Topanga offered.

"I was?" Cory gulped.

" How could you ABUSE me like that?" Riley boiled as she punched Cory in the arm.

"ABUSE, you?! Which one of us has been screaming in the other's face and punching the other in the arm, Riley?"Cory exclaimed.

"That's just a playful hit! " Riley protested.

"Your last 'playful hit' took a week for the bruise to clear!" Cory sighed.

"Actually, Riley, according to the law, you HAVE been physically and verbally abusing your father and it's not your first offense. Don't think teens are above the law that protects others from abuse," Topanga seethed.

"You're not going to actually try to prosecute me, Mom?" Riley sneered.

"That would be up to your father," Topanga cooly replied.

"Dad, you can't seriously think that.. You're the one totally wrong to keep secrets from me so you deserve.. ."Riley boiled.

"I deserve?! I deserve to be punched? I deserve to be screamed at? I deserve tantrums from you that literally put your little brother to shame?" Cory sputtered.

" Well, yeah.. ." Riley replied.

"Guess what? It ends NOW! It ALL ends HERE!" Cory fumed as he pointed to the floor.

"Cory?"! Topanga asked.

"Alan, do you think we should say anything?" Amy Matthews asked her husband.

"No, I think Cory's finally got it so let's give them all the space he needs," Alan beamed.

"But Dad shouldn't we. ..?" Morgan asked.

" I think the Matthews _pater familias _is correct. We all need to give them some room. So let's just find another office to wait this out,"T.J. insisted as he, Eric, Shawn, Katy, Morgan, Joshua, Amy and Alan all exited to another office .

"Dad, you can't be serious,"Riley scoffed after all but Topanga,Maya, Farkle and Isadora left.

" Try me. You say it's bad I keep secrets about your friends from you?! Guess what? I'm a teacher. I'm required by law to keep all my students' records **confidential** from their peers just as I've kept _your _secrets from them," Cory fumed.

"But Lucas is my friend! And friends aren't supposed to have secrets! Why would you let me fall for him if you knew that he was expelled and had kept his father's death a secret from me?," Riley seethed.

"'Let you fall for him'?! What do you call me putting myself in mortal peril every single time I chased him out of your room or put myself between you two?" Cory sputtered.

"Mortal peril?" Riley scoffed.

"Yes, I've always known all along Lucas could have crushed me like a bug but it's been his respect for me as a father and teacher that's kept him from doing so," Cory seethed.

"What are you saying, Dad?" Riley asked.

" I think you know," Cory replied -as he glared at her.

"Maya, can you believe Dad doesn't think I have any respect for him as a father or teacher?" Riley seethed.

"I'm not in this convo. That's completely between you two," Maya scoffed.

"What?! You coward! Turning your back on me your BFF. Ring power!" Riley ordered.

"No, not this time, Riley!"Maya replied as she started to walk away towards another office.

"Farkle, surely you see how brainless and emotional Dad's being here. ." Riley pleaded.

"I'm also not in this convo. .." Farkle replied as he and Isadora started to walk away following Maya.

"What?!" Riley seethed.

"You truly would not want to hear either of our opinions about who _**is**_ being brainless and emotional . ." Isadora sneered.

"Traitors! After ALL I've done for you! Don't think this is over! I'm going to ream each of you something good!" Riley fumed.

" I wouldn't make any threats at this time if I were you, Riley," Topanga fumed as she led the three towards the Elephant Door entrance.

" Mom, you're not going to tell Dad he's totally out of line and he made a horrible mistake?" Riley fumed.

" Riley, you are right. I HAVE been totally out of line and have made a horrible mistake," Cory sighed.

"Good!" Riley sneered.

"I wanted my home to be happy and I wanted you to be happy regardless of whatever respect it cost me, your mother or brother but now I see all too clearly that Mr. Feeny was right and none of us are happy -including you!" Cory sighed.

"What does HE have to do. ..?" Riley sputtered.

"Remember the Formal Dinner in Philly when you were eight?" Cory groaned.

"Mom, you're going to let Dad rehash that ancient history?" Riley seethed.

"Oh, shut up, Riley! You haven't learned from it yet so, yeah, we're going to rehash it all over again. I'm fed up with you playing us against each other to get your way!" Topanga fumed while pointing at Riley.

"Come on, Dad. I said I was sorry to Grandma Matthews about not praising her for the Brussels sprouts. Why do we have to revisit this?" Riley whined.

"Yeah, you did but were you REALLY sorry for throwing that tantrum over her getting confused about you liking broccoli instead Brussels sprouts or was it only because Mom yelled at you and Grandpa Matthews jabbed your shoulder blade with his Index Finger of Doom for upsetting Grandma Matthews?"Cory asked.

"What difference does that make now?" Riley asked.

" Perhaps if you knew the full background of WHY we had that Formal Dinner and why it was so important to your grandparents, you might understand," Cory fumed.

" OK, Dad. What happened?" Riley asked in a tone that she just wanted to get it over with.

" Your Uncle Eric had been missing for two months after having left oh . . ..escaped the facility he'd been in," Cory started to explain.

"Uncle Eric had been missing?!" Riley gasped.

"Yes he had and all of us but, especially your grandparents, were frantic. So we, the Feenys, your Aunt Morgan and even your Uncle Shawn( despite all HIS then-unresolved issues) showed up to pledge their love and support to your grandparents for all they'd been through," Topanga recalled.

"OK, but what does that have to do with. ..?" Riley asked.

"Oh, we're getting to that! Despite everything on Grandma Matthews's plate, she insisted on making everyone their favorite meals- including your pad Thai chicken but what did you do? Instead of thanking her, you threw a fit about those damn Brussels sprouts and called her stupid which got her to cry! " Cory recalled.

"So now do you understand why it was wrong for you to have done that?" Topanga asked.

"Well, if she had made the broccoli, I wouldn't have done that. ." Riley recalled.

"Oh, I give up!" Topanga fumed.

"No, I'm not doing that, Topanga! That's why we've made no progress! After ALL that, Mr. Feeny quoted Carol Burnett who said that you had to love your children enough to let them hate you on occasion. I didn't think he knew what he was talking about then but now I know he was dead right," Cory insisted.

"Are you going to punish me? Are you going to abuse me?" Riley sputtered.

"No, I'm going to do what I should have done all along- insist on _respect _from you for me and your mother. I'm 'Dad' to you for the rest of my life outside the classroom but from now on inside class, you're to address me as 'Mr. Matthews'- as I expect every other student to do so,"Cory insisted.

"What!? But Maya didn't always. . ." Riley started.

"She's been doing it ever since your Uncle Shawn and Aunt Katy got married and this isn't about her. Also, no more screaming in my class, disrupting my class, or storming out of my class without there being consequences for these things and I'm going to grade your essays just as fairly as I do every other student's!" Cory finished as he counted down each individual edict with a left finger pressed free via his right index finger.

"Wait! What?" Topanga asked.

"Topanga, have a look at her essays and essay question answers, sometime. See if you don't think many of them truly weren't B or C material instead of the A's I always gave her," Cory confessed.

"Mom, we can't let Dad keep us from overtaking the Minkus record and. .." Riley pleaded.

"No. Not any more. I'm going to swallow all my false pride and eat whatever crow Stuart and Farkle may be willing to serve up. However, for the rest of your academic career, you're going to EARN every single percentage of your final grade whatever it is just as _I_ always did and I'm backing Dad 100 percent on this," Topanga fumed.

"But Mom. .." Riley pleaded.

"Your reign as Class Princess is OVER, Riley!" Cory insisted.

"Really!?" Riley asked.

"Yes, really! And there will be consequences for your being disrespectful- just as your grandparents always made sure to mete to me when I did something stupid or was needlessly disrespectful or rude to them or Mr. Feeny,"Cory insisted.

"OK, fine. In school, I won't be your daughter anymore so I hope you're happy but at home you can't punish me," Riley sneered.

"Want a bet?!" Cory fumed.

"Oh, but we CAN! You didn't learn from us taking your phone away when you blew off the bakery duty. Well, we can go Nuclear if we want," Topanga seethed.

"If you think you're going to hit me, you. .." Riley started to cry.

"No, we're NOT going to hit you on your person- just where it hurts the most," Topanga insisted as Cory's eyes went wide open.

"You don't mean. .?" Cory asked.

"That's RIGHT! The BAY WINDOW! You keep doing what you've been doing in spite of all our warnings, you'll find yourself like almost every other teen of New York City apartment dwellers," Topanga warned.

"You can't do ..?" Riley sputtered.

"Oh, but we CAN!" Topanga fumed.

"That's right, Riley- you'll wind up with _our_ much smaller bedroom and a tiny window while WE (the ones who pay the mortgage)get the Bay Window - and we're putting locks on it tonight so all your guests will have to come through the front door for us to greet like all other teens have their parents do and if you try to break the glass. . Well you'd better hope it's due to escaping a fire!" Cory fumed.

. …

"Scarecrow, Rachel, Robin Hood, you think it's safe for us to come out now?" Eric gulped as he knocked on the adjoining office door.

"Yes, Eric! It's safe. Come in" Rachel replied from inside.

"You're not all black and blue?" Eric asked.

"Oh we both feel some major blues and our ears are going to ring for quite sometime afterwards after Mrs. Friar's dressing down but we're okay. It's like old times," Zay replied.

"Look, Maya, Farkle, Smackle, I'm awfully sorry about having lied to you about Daddy but. .." Lucas sighed- as they followed Eric.

"But why didn't you feel comfortable talking about it with us?" Maya asked.

"Oh, I think the answer may lie in the main part of the warehouse," Zay sighed while pointing to Elephant Door's direction where Riley was.

" Zay, I don't think you're being fair to Riley," Farkle sputtered.

"I concur with Zay. She's not even in the room and our friend Lucas has had a major issue with his maternal progenitor about his paternal progenitor's viability but you're all more worried about HER reaction to it than why he may not have been comfortable," Isadora scoffed while Zay nodded.

" Isadora,Zay, I don't think you're being fair," Farkle protested.

" Noted. However, back to the actual issue at hand. Lucas, could you have felt shame in not having your father alive?" Isadora asked.

"My actual biological one _is_ alive and I used to be ashamed he wasn't around but not any more," Maya offered.

" But that's different," Farkle insisted.

"Not really. Neither Lucas or I come from an ideal 2-parent, intact family," Maya pondered.

"But there's one key difference. You had the chance to ream out Kermit Hart something good about him not having been there when you grew up. I won't ever have that chance with my Daddy, " Lucas groaned.

"That's quite awful but that doesn't mean you're not as wonderful as we all thought you were before that news," Maya pleaded.

"In Texas, a man's not a man until his daddy says he is and I'll never have that happen," Lucas shuddered.

"But you're here in New York! " Farkle pleaded.

"Farkle, Lucas and I were always outsiders in Texas which helped us stay bonded beyond early childhood but just like there's a lot more African- Americans in New York than where we came from, there was a chance for Lucas not to have others consider him an object of ridicule or pity like they did in Texas," Zay pondered.

" But you're the strongest boy in our school and probably the whole state of New York. No one would think of you as unmanly," Farkle protested.

"And don't think that Zay and I haven't given him that speech like thousands of times," Rachel sighed while patting Lucas's shoulders.

"So THAT is why it was so important for you to ride Tombstone. Not just out of 'Friar pride' so that no one in Texas could ever doubt you're a man even with you having no living father to tell you so," Maya exclaimed.

" Well, in spite of my staying a stubbornly citified Californian all my time in Texas and in spite of how they broke the mold with Caleb (who WOULD have torn Tombstone himself apart with his bare hands to keep you safe) and completely disagreeing and not condoning this. . I actually understand, Son," Rachel sighed as she hugged Lucas.

" Mama, I know you brought me here for us to make a new start with you and have new friends and I appreciate it that so much but sometimes. ." Lucas sighed.

" Well, I can tell you Cory …Mr. Matthews would be good for you to talk to and. .so would his brother Senator Matthews," Rachel conceded.

"Really, Rachel?" Eric beamed.

"Yeah, I think it's time we all started seeing our friends again for whatever they're worth and see where that may take us," Rachel beamed as she kissed Eric on the right facial cheek.

"Scarecrow, you don't mind. ..?" Eric gulped.

" The Texas Lucas likely would have put you in the hospital for thinking of courting my Daddy's widow but here I just want Mama to be happy again and I think you two could do it and. . . I trust you'll do right by each other," Lucas conceded- as he shook Eric's hand while Eric winced from Lucas's unintentional vice grip.

At that moment, Cory came up with Topanga to Rachel and Lucas's 'office'.

"Rachel, Lucas is everything alright between the two of you? " Cory asked.

"Sure, we're fine, Cory," Rachel replied.

"Doing quite well, Mr. Matthews," Lucas added as he and Rachel took each other's hand to walk out.

" It's so cool that Rachel and Scarecrow are mutter and big papoose!" Eric beamed.

"Cory, do you think Eric might need to help keep the peace?" T.J. asked.

"No, I think it's time we start to let certain folks stew in their own instead of catering to them," Topanga sighed- as Riley came from behind them.

"Mom, Dad! You can't be serious!" Riley scoffed.

"Just wait to find out," Topanga sighed.

" I've said all I'm saying. It's up to you to decide whether trying to keep your status quo in spite of all you risk is worth it or whether demonstrating respect for us could make life much better for you from now on," Cory insisted.

"Don't walk away from me, Mom and Dad!" Riley fumed.

" I say she's about to GET why she's about to get it. So let's go, Cory!" Topanga insisted.

"Well, we're going home now after stopping by the hardware store for window locks .Mom and Dad, could you, Shawn,Katy, Eric, Tommy, Morgan, Joshua or Lucas escort Riley home when she's done what she thinks she needs to do? We hope to rejoin all of you soon under better circumstances," Cory sighed while all the others he addressed nodded grimly.

"If you need us, we're with you, Son," Alan sighed while all the others nodded.

"Thanks, Dad. I just wish we had woken up earlier," Cory groaned while Topanga nodded as they left.

"So what happened, Riley?" Maya asked while she, Farkle and Isadora joined Lucas and Zay who had gone up to Riley.

"Mom and Dad have become total dictators. He's even trying to insist I call him 'Mr. Matthews ' in class. Can you believe that?" Riley scoffed while laughing.

" Oh, so you don't want him to treat you like any other student?" Maya asked.

"Of course, I do. He already does!" Riley scoffed.

"Really?! Since when has the whole class called him' Dad'?" Maya scoffed.

" You know what I mean. _Ring power_!" Riley insisted.

"Oh ring it up your… nose!" Maya fumed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Riley asked.

"You're the straight A student. You figure it out!" Maya snorted.

"Yeah, you're now the kiss-up, sell-out now calling him 'Mr. Matthews' instead of just 'Matthews' like you did before. .. . ." Riley gasped.

"I don't care WHAT you call me. I'm not backing down any more!" Maya boiled.

"What are you saying?" Riley sputtered.

"You finally worked it out I've done that for your father without me spelling it out since it wasn't about you, "Maya exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"Before Daddy married Mom yes, I called your dad 'Matthews' and I'm not proud of it nor am I proud that I took advantage of his kindness due to being the Class Princess's BFF ,"Maya conceded.

"So what changed?" Farkle asked.

"Remember at the wedding Mr. Matthews came up to me and said that now that Shawn was my Daddy, I should call him and Mrs. Matthews 'Uncle Cory' and 'Aunt Topanga'- which I thanked them for," Maya explained.

"So?" Riley asked.

"Then Daddy said I should give Uncle Cory a gift myself by calling him 'Mr. Matthews' in class," Maya replied.

"Is that so?" Isadora asked.

"Yes, I tried to shoot that down by saying our teacher 'didn't mind' me calling him just 'Matthews' but Daddy said that not minding something isn't the same as LIKING it and that he and your father always called 'Mr. Feeny' by his full title in class out of respect despite often clashing with him and, Riley, your father has been much less strict with me," Maya added.

" So that's why you've gained good manners since your folks married," Isadora exclaimed.

"Yeah. There's plenty of real injustice , angst to deal with and rebel against and creeps to ream out so no point dumping on the few who've always been in my corner," Maya shrugged.

"But you're now bullying ME- just like that creep who texted me?" Riley sniffed.

"No, we're NOT! We called out that creep and were supportive of you for being bullied but I'm not putting up with you bullying us any more!" Maya declared.

"Bullying you?! I'm the one who was bullied, remember?" Riley scoffed.

"Just because someone's been bullied doesn't mean that they're forever above and unaccountable for any bullying to others -and you **have** bullied your parents, brother, Maya and all of us!" Isadora fumed.

"Lucas, Farkle, tell Maya and Smackle they're being ridiculous!" Riley sputtered.

"Are they really?" Farkle asked.

"Maya, I'm proud of you! You've truly grown in these last few years even if you're a short stack of pancakes!" Lucas laughed.

"You know, Huckleberry. I actually have grown to like that! " Maya beamed.

"Wait?! Are you saying *I* haven't grown? Is THAT why you kept the secrets of being expelled and your father not living from me?!" Riley seethed.

"Back off, Riley!"Farkle exclaimed.

"What?!" Riley gasped.

"I'm getting downright tired of this whole 'we must instantly blab every minute detail of our lives to Riley at her command to prove our friendship to her or we're all horrible, disloyal folks' rule ," Farkle fumed.

"Are you saying Lucas was right to lie to me. ..I mean us?" Riley asked.

"I'm not. ." Farkle replied.

"No, Riley, you meant YOU! That's what this whole thing's been about all along!" Maya fumed.

"Maya?!" Riley asked.

" Yeah, like why didn't you butt out like I asked you about my bio dad Kermit Hart when Mr. Matthews brought up forgiveness- especially since you dragged along that mutilated stuffed bear to vindicate yourself for staying mad at Auggie?" Maya recalled.

"Why didn't I 'butt out'?!" Riley asked.

"Did it ever occur to you that I wasn't ready to seek out Kermit Hart and whether to do so or not should have been MY choice all along for you as a friend to respect? Mr. Matthews was far more understanding about all the angst I had from not forgiving Kermit Hart straight away than you were who pushed me into doing so just to boost your OWN ego!" Maya seethed.

"Maya, how can you say that?! I just want you to be happy! I just want everyone to be happy and have sunshine, unicorns, rainbows, flowers and puppies in their lives!" Riley pleaded.

"Do you really? Or would you want others to have any happiness whatsoever if we somehow found it on our own without your shoving your vision of it down our throats- just as you wanted everyone around to be as miserable as you when you did the Morotia/Morticia deal because of that stupid yearbook?!" Maya fumed.

"Yes, of course. I would. You KNOW that, Maya!" Riley pleaded.

"Then prove it! Try to imagine for once just being happy that another person is genuinely happy without you having butted in and see if you TRULY like that idea!" Maya fumed as she walked away.

"Farkle are you going to just let her. .and not even object to Lucas lying to us?" Riley gulped.

" Riley, did it ever occur to you that confidences between friends are privileges NOT rights or entitlements?" Farkle fumed.

"Guys. Dad's taking away Bay Window access from the outside and having everyone come in by the Front Door and be greeted by him and Mom. You've got to say something!" Riley pleaded.

"He is?" Maya gulped.

"It's about TIME!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Well, I, for one, am fed up with your Bay Window Summonses!" Isadora fumed.

"Summonses?!" Riley scoffed.

"Yes, summonses! It's always been '**Bay Window!**', '**Bay Window!**' as a rude _command_ with no recourse for others to decline instead of a polite optional invitation as in 'Would you care to join me at the Bay Window?' or ' I look forward to seeing you at the Bay Window if you are free!' You're not our empress and we're not your flunkies, Riley!"Isadora fumed while angrily pointing at Riley then back at herself.

" I never thought of it like that," Maya gulped while others nodded.

"But. .." Riley sputtered.

" Did you ever express concern for whether me, Farkle ,Smackle, Maya- or even Lucas could get hurt or worse clambering to it on that Fire Escape on them mean New York streets at all hours and weather at your behests?" Zay asked.

"Yeah! I deserve to walk in proudly by the Front Door instead of sneaking in like a criminal by the Bay Window- and I sure as Hell deserve an invite instead of a summons," Maya replied with eyes wide open.

" But your invites are _understood_ and nothing would happen. .." Riley scoffed.

"Ring power against falls, lightning strikes and creeps who'd do us harm? I don't think so . Oh, and Farkle, I realize now when you were climbing into the Bay Window in your Donnie Barnes guise, you're lucky some trigger happy neighbor or cop didn't shoot you thinking you were a cat burglar! " Maya sighed.

"I never thought of that," Farkle gasped.

"Smackle, you're not going to blame me for giving you that makeover are you?" Riley asked.

" Of course not. I'm glad you did that!"Isadora replied.

"See, guys?" Riley smirked.

"But give me some credit! I had the knowledge and motivation . Thus, I would have ascertained the means to bring out my inner Cinderella to the surface before too much longer even if you hadn't tried playing Fairy Makeover Godmother!" Isadora scoffed.

"Thanks for the gratitude," Riley sneered.

"And I'm with Farkle about how annoying your rule is over spilling secrets at your command," Isadora sneered.

"But sharing secrets helps. .." Riley pleaded.

"Yes, that CAN help- if everyone's ready to share them and feels comfortable doing so. Also, secrets that shield crimes or risk physical danger to others should be told as soon as possible but none of what you've harped on covers those categories!"Farkle proclaimed.

" Farkle's paternal-paternal Minkus Jewish progenitor survived the NAZIs because some folks in Denmark thought keeping him alive was more vital than blabbing secrets to those in charge despite the very real risks they took," Isadora exclaimed.

"But that's different,"Riley pleaded.

"Is it really? Is bugging secrets from friends more important than the friendships themselves?" Zay asked.

"One positive aspect of Farkle's and my relationship is that we support each other and each allow the other to open up to the other when each of us is ready NOT when one person dictates and attempts to guilt the other into spilling guts over the other's objections," Isadora beamed while taking Farkle's hand (who himself blushed).

"Where is everyone going?" Riley asked as the five teens walked out of the office.

"We're here to join the others trying to make this a good home for homeless kids. You can join us in doing so- or you can go home and sulk. We won't stop you. It's up to you!" Lucas insisted.

"But we're not finished talking about this," Riley pleaded.

" I don't know about the rest of you but I've said all I need to say," Maya shrugged.

"Same here. Now it's your turn to listen- really **listen** to what we and your folks have tried to tell you this evening!" Farkle insisted.

"But what about Lucas's lying to me . .us. ..?" Riley pleaded.

"I'm sorry for having lied to you about that, Riley," Lucas sincerely groaned but Riley turned her head and threw her nose in the air.

"I can only speak for myself but I accept your apology, Lucas," Maya insisted while Farkle and Isadora nodded.

" OK, it wasn't good or right what Lucas did and, yes, I own my part in helping him keep it quiet but ,Riley, you're not the one who can cast stones in these here parts," Zay insisted.

"Are you through being friends with me?" Riley asked.

"No, but we're through keeping things 'as is' with you," Lucas insisted.

" Evolve and grow or don't. Your call, Riley!" Farkle insisted as the group walked away.

"What?!" Riley gasped.

"So you want to stay here with us and help make a real home for these kids who've been through sheer Hell with serious issues or do you want to go home?" Maya asked.

"I'll. . .go home. Don't try to beg my forgiveness," Riley sniffed..

"Oh, T.J. Could you make sure Riley gets back to her folks?" Lucas asked- as he approached the adults and tapped T.J. on the right shoulder.

"Sure. Regardless of anything else, she's Eric's niche!" T.J. laughed.

"Thanks. I guess," Riley gulped as the two started walking out.

…

A few minutes later on the subway. ..

"Can you believe how my folks and so-called friends all turned against me tonight and. ..?" Riley started to fume.

"Riley. I like and respect your parents and friends a great deal. If you start trying to do the same and respect yourself, we'll have something to talk about besides you being Eric's niche!" T.J. cooly replied.

There was no further dialogue between Riley and T.J. 'Tommy' Murphy until he dropped her off at Cory and Topanga's apartment.

. ..

"I can't believe these essays, Cory! So many of these are no good!" Topanga gasped as she read through some of them in their living room after Cory had brought them out .

"Yeah, I know,"Cory groaned.

"Cory, I'm so sorry I had you risk your own career for my ego .. " Topanga sniffed.

"Topanga! DON'T! My enabling her was solely my choice and my doing," Cory groaned as he hugged her.

"We've raised _Veruca Salt_!" Topanga gasped.

"We're not through raising our kids yet. Better late than never. The wonderful person we know that's inside of her will come out," Cory encouraged.

"You think so?" Topanga asked.

"We've seen that person all along and so have her friends. Now we just must encourage Riley to become her that even though she's mad at us now,"Cory gulped.

"Can we come in?" T.J. asked as he knocked on the Matthewses' Front Door.

"Of course!" Topanga replied.

T.J. and Riley walked inside.

"Thanks for bringing her back," Cory proclaimed as he and Topanga hugged Riley who didn't respond.

"My work's done here," T.J. replied as he walked away.

"Thanks, Tommy," Topanga replied while Cory nodded.

Cory and Topanga hugged Riley but she glared at them and stood there like a statue then went to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

"I guess we'll just have to brace ourselves for awhile," Cory groaned while Topanga and Auggie nodded.

Riley then tried the Bay Window -only to find that all the latches were now secured with locks and then looked outside to see if any of the group was out there but they weren't.

Riley then sent a mass text to all of them justifying her side of the whole argument yet again but all she got in response was five texts saying that they were glad to learn she made it home safely- and nothing more.

Then Riley laid on her bed and cried.

. ..

.

"So how did it go, Tommy?" Amy asked about an hour later upon his return.

"Well, no one can expect anyone to do an instant 180 over a lifetime of unchecked bad habits," T.J. groaned.

"But I think Riley could be starting to take her first steps on the thousand mile path she's needed to take," Morgan pondered.

" I hope you're right," Alan sighed.

" In spite of my often being a smart Alec, you didn't let me stay that way. I've had to fight that impulse but still it feels great tearing down old walls to get out some of that angst, Dad!" Morgan laughed.

"Why do I feel just as proud of Cory and Topanga tonight as when Eric became Senator?" Alan asked.

"Y-you're PROUD of me, Dad?" Eric gasped.

" Of course we are! You defied everyone's expectations of you and keep doing so!" Alan declared as he and Amy hugged their eldest son who burst into tears.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I ran away from that. ..place but I thought you'd given up on me so. .." Eric sobbed.

"It's okay, Son! You're safe now and that's all that matters," Amy sobbed.

"You think Cory, Pangers and my niche could be happy,too, one day?" Eric sniffed.

" It could be that they're all coming into their true destinies!" T.J. pondered.

"By the way, Tommy. I've never thanked you for looking out for Eric on Capitol Hill and elsewhere," Alan half-laughed after he drew a sharp breath.

"Well, he was there for me as long as he believed it best for me when I was a kid so why shouldn't I be there for him as long as I think it's best for him now?" T.J. shrugged.

" What does your family think of this? " Rachel asked.

" Oh, Mom and Dad (Doris and Ted) Murphy were already in their 50's when they took me in yet gave me their all - each dying within a week of my college graduation. I'll always consider them my folks," T.J. pondered.

"That's quite touching!" Rachel sighed.

"Didn't you also have a sister by them?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, Sarah. She and her spouse Heather are perfectly happy and we're all there for each other if we ever need anything but they understand why watching out for Eric is my calling - as does my girlfriend Nell," T.J. explained.

.

.

. ..

"Okay, we need to strip all this wallpaper down then see about the drywall! So do you guys think you're up to it?" Morgan Matthews in another room asked Maya, Farkle, Lucas, Zay, Isadora and Joshua.

"Sure, Ms. Matthews!" Zay replied.

"Please, everyone call me Morgan! Now remember to keep your safety goggles, dust masks, gloves and boots on!" Morgan insisted.

"But Sis, I could easily kick the wall out. ." Joshua pleaded- as he started to take his left boot off.

"And I could punch an even bigger hole in the wall than him!" Lucas insisted as he took his right glove off.

"Yeah, but feet and fists are no match for those odd nails so keep them covered while working here and have your macho contest some other time!" Morgan pleaded.

" I think we've got this room. How about you show Farkle, Smackle and Maya to another one?" Lucas asked as he and Joshua put their respective boot and glove back on.

" OK, you three bulls have at it here! I'll show them another room," Morgan laughed.

. .

"Maya, are you okay?" Farkle asked once the three of them were alone.

"No. In spite of everything and knowing what we said was long overdue. ..I'm sorry we had to say it and, yes, I'm very sorry Riley got hurt," Maya sniffed.

" I know. I am,too, but how much longer could we have continued staying stifled under her regime?" Farkle asked.

" I kept lying to myself for so long all the things I wanted to believe I was doing to help her but wound up just making her worse," Maya sobbed.

"You didn't Maya. None of us did," Farkle pleaded.

" I know but this had been building up for years for us, her parents and everyone," Maya sobbed.

"Well, only time can fix whatever can be fixed. In the meantime, we have news about Mr. Hunter's DNA," Isadora proclaimed.

"That's right, Maya. We can speak freely now!"Farkle beamed.

" Yeah, I know but why do I still feel like crud?" Maya asked.

" I know, Maya. Same here," Farkle sighed.

" We can try to take comfort from the news if you like," Isadora insisted.

"OK. Shoot. What news have you learned from Daddy's DNA?" Maya asked.

"Well, on his paternal side, there's a large number of miscreants and unsavory folks. .." Farkle started as he got out the printout from his overall pocket.

" Daddy already knew that a good number of Hunters had lengthy arrest and criminal records. .." Maya sighed.

"We weren't talking about them! We were talking about the large number of celebs and politicians who share his paternal genes," Farkle sighed as he showed Maya the list.

"You're not kidding about those folks but anything about Daddy's mother's side?" Maya asked.

"We have yet to identify her precisely but there are some 4th and 5th cousins who share the mitochondria- and it seems she's mainly English, Scottish, and Welsh with some Irish but there IS a trace amount of Native American DNA that's less than 1 percent from about 400 years ago, "Farkle announced.

" Do you think you'll get a closer match so we can trace her?" Maya asked.

"Maybe one day. Folks by the millions are submitting their DNA to the Minkus DNA HOORAY database so there's bound to be a match with a first cousin, or even sibling before too long that we can trace from there!" Farkle announced.

"I guess that's one bit of good news," Maya sighed.

"Take a good look around you! We all come from safe, comfortable homes with stable,loving parents but now we're set to help dozens of children who have none of these things get a good start in life!" Farkle proclaimed as he hugged Maya.

" You're right and I'm almost tempted to tell Daddy about his and my sibs' Native American ancestor," Maya pondered.

"Let's stick to our original plan of not sharing this without the full knowledge of his actual mother," Isadora insisted- as the three soon got to work scraping out the peeling and stained wallpaper.

. ..

"Rachel, that kid of yours is funny! He said that he helped tear out drywall and carry out ruined flooring for Katrina victims," T.J. laughed while he, Eric and Rachel were tearing out wallpaper in another room.

"That's right," Rachel nodded.

"But he'd have been three or four at the time and. ." T.J. snorted.

"Caleb was by far the strongest man in Texas and Eric can tell you I never was a frilly, frail girl so Lucas took after **both** of us from birth! " Rachel proudly proclaimed.

"So Scarecrow was always strong?" Eric asked.

" Yeah. One of Lucas's few memories of Caleb was Caleb tossing him high in the air to catch him when he was about two- then Lucas lifting HIM off the ground by his boots to show his love!" Rachel laughed.

"What was Kale Caleb like?" Eric asked.

"That's like asking what North America is like but I can tell you that he was the Friar family glue- smart and strong yet kind and bashful- not unlike you," Rachel recalled as she used her right hand to brush pat Eric's right shoulder.

" So if he was so strong why did. ..?" Eric started to ask.

"Eric, please don't. ." T.J. gasped.

"No, it's okay. He died in a stupid drunk driving accident. His head was crushed like an eggshell and he was instantly braindead but Caleb's heart was too strong," Rachel sniffed.

"What do you mean?" T.J. asked.

" Oh, it kept beating for days with no signs of weakening but Caleb had signed the organ donation card and I knew he'd have not wanted to spend the rest of his life as a vegetable so. ." Rachel cried.

" You mean, his heart beats on still?" Eric gulped.

"In a father of five's chest as well as in Lucas's and my own hearts!" Rachel sniffed.

"So it beats in three places, "Eric said in puzzlement.

"In a way," Rachel pondered as she hugged Eric.

"You must really have hated that drunk driver who. .." T.J. sighed.

" I couldn't ever hate. .." Rachel sighed.

"It's great that you could forgive. .." Eric added.

" I had to. It was CALEB who drove drunk and caused his fatal accident," Rachel sobbed.

" But, you said he was smart, kind and bashful.. ." Eric gulped.

"Oh, he never was anything other than that. If anything, he got sweeter when he drank but oh how I begged him to quit and he just would say he was sorry," Rachel sniffed.

"Rachel, may I ask why you stayed in Texas instead of taking Lucas . .?" T.J. asked.

" In spite of our conflicts and different ideas, Pappy Joe was never less than a good grandpa to Lucas and Lucas loved him and Nanny Pearl had died just a year earlier. My own family was well-meaning but of no use so I couldn't take Lucas away when he was a toddler, "Rachel explained.

"So why did you later. .?" T.J. asked.

"Lucas became more frustrated with not having a daddy and Pappy Joe couldn't replace Caleb," Rachel recalled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," T.J. replied.

" Even though Lucas only used his great strength on people to defend Zay and others who were being picked on and was willing to get expelled for it, I could see that( had we stayed in Texas) Lucas would become a mean ,unstoppable bully- which would have been against everything My Kind Caleb had wanted for him!" Rachel insisted.

"So you think Kale Caleb would have wanted you to leave Texas?" Eric asked.

"Absolutely. He'd always wanted me to pursue my teaching career and he took care for Lucas while I was in the educational college there but then he died so I dropped out and became 'ranch marm' like Nanny Pearl had been for Lucas, Pappy Joe and the whole Friar ranch!" Rachel reflected.

"Scarecrow's grown up good here! Cory and Pangers tell me so!" Eric declared.

" I know so and I believe Caleb would be proud of both of us- even though it meant I had to defy Pappy Joe to do so," Rachel reflected.

" So you think there's hope for Riley and her parents?" T.J. asked.

"I only know her from what Cory, Topanga and Lucas have said but I can tell you that with the right parenting and the right friends sometimes those others have written off as a mean bully can find their way back! " Rachel proclaimed.


	13. Baker's Dozen Worth the Extra Cookie?

Baker's Dozen Worth the Extra Cookie? (Chapter 13)

Hunter Apartment Early Tuesday morning.

"My poor Baby Girl," Katy sleepily sniffed while laying in bed with Shawn and hearing Maya softly crying.

"Huh?" Shawn asked- before he woke up and also heard Maya's crying from her bedroom.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that, before I had Maya, I could sleep through thunderstorms and earthquakes but ever since .." Katy explained as she stoked Shawn's beard while she yawned and started to reach for her robe.

"Babe, you didn't sleep that well last night and you've got to get ALL the sleep you can get ," Shawn pleaded as he touched her right arm then her expanded belly.

"But. .." Katy gasped as she tried to sit up.

"Babe, you and our little ones need your sleep and you've got to be at Topanga's in another few hour. I have no boss or time clock so I've got this," Shawn declared.

"Are you sure, Gorgeous?" Katy blearily asked.

"I'm quite sure this has to do with last night's blowout with Riley and Maya's also going to have to face Cory in a few hours so I have a little experience there," Shawn declared.

"But. ." Katy replied.

"I'm getting into my work uniform while my Fiji glory stays all yours! Get some sleep, Babe." Shawn laughed as he put on a red t-shirt and grey sweat pants before he kissed the already snoring Katy on the lips and exited their bedroom.

"Maya! Are you presentable?" Shawn asked after he knocked on Maya's bedroom door.

"Daddy, come in. I'm staying under the covers!" Maya called from the other side.

"OK, I won't be long," Shawn replied as he padded his way into her room.

" Daddy, can you call the principal and tell him I'm sick?" Maya asked -as Shawn turned on the light- and saw the Maya had buried her head under the covers.

" Are you really sick or heartsick?" Shawn asked-as he pulled the covers off her head and brushed the hair off her foreheard.

"What difference does it make, Daddy?" Maya sniffed.

" I can't imagine any of you looking forward to seeing each other in a few hours after all that was said- and that includes your Uncle Cory," Shawn sighed as he handed her a Kleenex and let her daub her eyes.

"I don't envy Aunt Topanga having to get both him and Ri-. ..their daughter out of bed today," Maya sniffed.

"It won't be easy for any of you to come back- but especially you, Riley, Lucas and Farkle," Shawn sighed.

"Farkle has it easy, Daddy," Maya scoffed.

"Really?" Shawn asked.

"Oh, Mr. Minkus has Farkle's beds rigged so that if he's not up by a certain time, they spring into upright toasters then pop him up on his feet! "Maya laughed.

"Did you say 'beds' plural?" Shawn gulped.

"Yeah and I saw at least twenty in Farkle's Suite!" Maya laughed.

"You're laughing! Try to hold onto that instead of. .. " Shawn insisted as he started to walk away.

"I wish I could," Maya sighed.

"OK, _Hijita _[ee-HEE-tah]. I'm here for you as long as you need," Shawn declared as he sat on the rocking chair next to Maya's bed,clutched the armrests with his hands and started rocking himself with his feet.

" It was horrible! All that stuff I'd stored up for so long - poured out like a landslide," Maya sniffed.

" Did you say anything you didn't mean?" Shawn asked.

" No, but I still wish I hadn't said it," Maya sighed.

" Do you think Riley regrets saying what she said to you?" Shawn asked.

" It used to be I would believed that but now .. I'm not sure," Maya sniffed.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shawn sighed.

"Go ahead! Tell me you **told** me so and I was wrong and stupid for saying that Riley was perfect and that you needed to become friends with her instead of avoiding her," Maya sighed.

"No, I'm not going to do that. You said what you believed or at least wanted to believe was true," Shawn insisted.

"But . ." Maya started to say.

"Nobody's perfect but that doesn't mean it's hasn't been worth getting to know Riley for who she is- and, despite her faults, I think she _does _have good qualities beyond being Cory and Topanga's offspring and your longtime bestie,"Shawn replied.

"Such as. .?" Maya asked.

"She's the one who said I could find love again despite all those years of having given up on it after Angela's and my split!" Shawn replied.

"Yeah, at least THAT time I can say she was being totally selfless with no hidden agenda! You, me and Mom are happy and twins are on the way!" Maya admitted.

"See? And you and Riley had quite a few good times on your own, right?" Shawn added.

"True, we did. So do you think we can do so again?" Maya asked.

"That's up to the two of you but remember that you DID have good times and nothing can take that away regardless of whether your bond survives .You can take comfort in that," Shawn insisted as he clutched her right hand with his own.

"Oh, as long as I'm fessing up, I might as well admit that. .. Riley and I didn't REALLY read each other's thoughts. We just told each other what we each knew the other _wanted_ to hear from past experience, "Maya confessed.

" Oh, I knew that, Maya! "Shawn scoffed.

"You did?!" Maya gasped.

"Sure! If folks could read each other's thoughts, they'd find reasons to hate each other in no time. Ever see that **Gilligan's Island **episode when the castaways did just that?" Shawn asked while laughing.

"Yeah! And it was funny seeing Ginger and Mary Ann just scream at each other but never saying WHAT the other was thinking that upset them!" Maya half-laughed.

"Exactly! Your Uncle Cory and me fought PLENTY even without being able to read each other's thoughts so that's one gift I'm glad humans were never given!" Shawn laughed.

" So you think me and Riley could be friends again?" Maya sniffed.

"Having been through more than one 'We're THROUGH, Man!' fight with Uncle Cory and even years of self-exile, somehow it worked for us but not without a LOT of effort on BOTH our parts," Shawn explained.

"But if I totally cave and go back to pretending that there's nothing wrong with how she was and how we were, I'm not sure it would help either of us," Maya groaned.

"Probably not but the important thing is that you have to decide how much work you're willing to put in and whether your friendship _is_ worth renewing," Shawn insisted.

" It used to be that she was my only friend and I thought that the only reason anyone was nice to me was for her sake but . .it's crazy that now I know I can stay friends with Farkle, Lucas, Zay and even Isadora regardless of how we two work out, " Maya confessed.

" Do you feel relieved or guilty that your friendships don't hinge on your staying friends with Riley ?" Shawn asked.

"A bit of both, actually," Maya admitted.

" Remember, you have a LOT to offer the world whether you stay her friend or not," Shawn insisted.

"You're just saying that," Maya scoffed.

"It's true! Why it's amazing how you've recreated 'Christina's World' with yourself as the subject?" Shawn beamed as he pointed to a new oil painting on the easel next to the school desk.

"Come on, Daddy! That's not me!" Maya scoffed.

"The girl crawling in the field towards the house is blonde and wearing your favorite purple jacket!" Shawn laughed.

"Just because she's crippled and alone doesn't mean she shouldn't try to rock on," Maya laughed.

"See? That's the spirit that can get you through this!" Shawn insisted.

"OK, I know I should have done last night's homework but . . I was so bummed that . .I had to paint," Maya sighed.

" I know! No matter what else happens. Never let anyone or anything get you to bury your talent," Shawn insisted.

"Thanks, Daddy!" Maya beamed.

"However, it may not hurt for you to burn a little 4 AM oil to get your homework done- at least so you won't feel depressed about THAT tomorrow!" Shawn insisted as he reached for her robe and put it atop the covers.

"So you think we'll be another Shawn and Cory?" Maya asked as she put her purple robe over her green pajamas and padded to the small school desk in her room.

"No, you'll be Maya Penelope Hunter as long as you want. Regardless of how things work out with Riley, your mother and I will always be in your corner- including those times we have to put our feet down!" Shawn half-laughed.

" Thanks, Daddy! And thanks for coming in to talk," Maya exclaimed.

"Your welcome, _Hijita_! Got to get some practice for your twin sibs in five months. Now, finish this homework and try to get a little sleep!" Shawn insisted.

" I guess I have to go to school tomorrow, right," Maya sighed.

"Yeah. Just keep in mind that the sooner you face what needs to be faced, the sooner it will be done and that it will get a little easier each time, " Shawn encouraged- before he kissed her on the forehead and padded back to his and Katy's bedroom.

. ..

. .

Abigail Adams High, 7 AM.

"Got Toaster Alarmed again, Farkle?" Zay laughed.

"How can you tell?" Farkle asked.

"You always have that startled look for the rest of the day whenever you unexpectedly get bounced on your feet," Zay replied.

"Yeah, one of Father's most annoying inventions," Farkle groaned.

"Well, we're about all here," Lucas gulped.

"Morning, Huckleberry!" Maya exclaimed as she came in.

" Morning, Short Stack of Pancakes!" Lucas replied.

" Greetings, Clique, " Isadora exclaimed as she came into the room.

" How is everyone doing? " Lucas asked.

" Not that hot but we have to see whether there's been any progress," Farkle gulped.

" Before the Matthewses teacher and fellow student, father-daughter duo enter, I think the rest of you need to try to talk Farkle out of his plan," Isadora gulped.

"What plan?" Maya asked- as Farkle took a deep breath.

" I hope everyone enjoyed yesterday's 'Farkle Time'-as I'm retiring it immediately," Farkle groaned.

"Farkle. No! The class wouldn't be the same without. .." Lucas pleaded while Maya nodded.

"Yeah, it takes some of the heat from my class clowning," Zay gulped.

"Listen,guys. I'll be a scientist until the day I die and I'll share any and all knowledge I can with my friends whenever or wherever but not that way in here. .." Farkle gulped.

"Why not?" Maya asked.

" Well, since Mr. Matthews wants things as fair as possible and treats Riley as any other student with an even playing field, I have to show my support to BOTH of them by not appearing to commandeer his actual role in class," Farkle sighed.

" I guess I get it but I'll miss it," Maya sighed.

"Same here- just as I'll miss being able to climb into the Bay Window," Farkle groaned.

"You know, as risky as it was and as much as I understand WHY we can't do that anymore, I have to admit I'll miss being able to climb into the Bay Window," Maya groaned.

"Just because some things may not be as fun as before does not mean they may not be fairer or better for us in the long run," Isadora sighed.

"Do you really believe that?" Zay asked.

" I'm trying to," Isadora groaned.

"Come on, folks! We were going nowhere fast the way things were. This will improve stuff for all of us!" Zay insisted.

"I'm trying to hold onto that, _amigo_!" Lucas gulped.

" Hey, Riles!" Maya half-heartedly exclaimed as Riley came into the room.

"Hi. ." Riley replied.

"Things should be okay, Pretty Brunette!" Lucas proclaimed.

" Maybe. .." Riley sighed.

"Good morning, Class!" Cory exclaimed.

"Good morning, Mr. Matthews!" all but Riley exclaimed.

"Riley?" Cory asked.

"Good morning. . .Dah. .._teacher_," Riley replied.

"Well, as much as I'd like to pretend that we're going to have a fun day, I can't .Yet, that doesn't mean it can't be productive and we can't learn. Now today's lesson is an overview of Reconstruction and how the Confederate States had to accept the United States's terms to be Re-Admitted," Cory started.

"But, Mr. Matthews, that didn't completely go as smoothly for either side and I've got ancestors who suffered from the backlash in New Orleans," Zay gulped.

" I'm truly sorry to hear that, Zay, but that doesn't mean that both sides didn't at least need to have heard out each other before considering reconciliations," Cory gulped.

. ..

.

Maya, Farkle, Lucas, Zay and Isadora were standing in the locker area getting books to take home for homework while Riley hung back.

"So, do you want to join us for lattes and cookies at Topanga's?" Maya gulped as she approached Riley.

"Are you sure? I don't really feel much in the mood for talking," Riley sighed.

"That's okay. We don't have to talk about much of anything or anything at all, " Farkle offered.

" It would be the first step in whatever paths the thousand mile journeys have ahead for each of us," Isadora gulped.

"It would beat just sitting in our rooms by ourselves," Maya offered.

"You're right," Riley gulped before the six of them walked out of Abigail Adams High towards Topanga's.

. .

.

"What's it like to go from your kid's pal to being someone your kid hates?" Topanga asked Katy at the bakery.

"Come on, Topanga! I don't think Riley hates you," Katy consoled as she patted Topanga's back.

"How did you deal. .?" Topanga asked.

"It's a little different since Maya and I had lots of years of angst and misunderstandings before Shawn went to bat for me," Katy recalled.

"Riley's hardly said a word to me since last night and I just talked to Cory and he said she didn't speak a syllable more than needed in reply to any class questions," Topanga sighed.

"This too shall pass," Katy insisted.

"You think?" Topanga asked.

"Remember, I thought for too many years, Maya would cut me off and take off without another word when she grew up but we've gotten close again as we were when she little!" Katy offered.

" Do you have regrets that you didn't try to reel in Maya sooner before Shawn was willing to pitch in?" Topanga asked.

"Of course, I do, and I hate that there are _years_ of our lives together we'll **never** get back. But I can't dwell on those- except to use them to build our future and to do my best to be a better mother with these twins from the start," Katy admitted- as she patted her expanded belly.

"I know Cory and I needed to do what we did last night because things had gotten totally out of hand with Riley for too long and I'm willing to endure the resentful glares but. ..when does it stop hurting to see them come from your own child?" Topanga sniffed.

"It NEVER does, Topanga. That doesn't mean you're wrong and should back down but . . you'd better be sure you're willing to endure those glares for the right reasons. Trust me on this," Katy sniffed as she hugged Topanga.

. . .

. .

"What is it, Cory? I got your text," Shawn asked as he came into Cory's classroom about this time.

" Look, I just want you to know that regardless of how or if things work out between Riley and Maya that I want us to stay BFFs," Cory pleaded.

"What makes you think I wouldn't want that? What kind of friendship would it be if it totally hinged on our daughters also being BFFs?" Shawn scoffed.

" I mean. You've got a lot of newer, cooler friends than me who have no daughters that would get into catfights with Maya. .." Cory sputtered.

"Hold it! Cory! Who ARE these 'newer, cooler friends' you speak of. .?" Shawn scoffed.

"Well, Stuart Minkus, Harley Keiner and T.J 'Tommy' Murphy to start with. . ." Cory gulped.

"Cory, you're the one who encouraged me to be civil to Stuart for one," Shawn scoffed.

"Yeah, be civil for my sake and Farkle's sake but I didn't expect you to like. ." Cory sputtered.

" Cory, I didn't expect to like him either but I DO and he actually likes me back, and I'm not apologizing for it. I also like Harley,too! Neither one of them I'd have expected to have ever liked back at John Adams High but we all changed for the better- and so can anyone who's willing to make the effort," Shawn encouraged.

"You think? "Cory asked.

"That's one thing these past few months has taught me,Cor!" Shawn proclaimed.

"That's a relief!" Cory exhaled.

" Was it just for our friendship's status you called me in?" Shawn asked.

"Not exactly. You should have seen that look Riley gave me last night. It was like the one you gave me when you were determined to join Harley's gang and vandalize Mr. Turner's Harley over my objections," Cory gulped.

"So are you saying Maya's become you and Riley's become me?" Shawn gulped.

"Well, wasn't there a full moon last night?" Cory asked.

"Nah- but remember you had the strength to reel me in during that time I thought I was doomed despite all that and I was still BIGGER than you back then," Shawn encouraged.

" So what are you saying, Shawn?" Cory gulped.

" All I can do is be your friend! And, as your friend, I can tell you, you had the guts to pull through me through some tough spots even when I resisted and said I didn't want you to so. .." Shawn started to say.

"So you think I have the guts to pull Riley through,too?" Cory asked.

"Of course, you do! And you've got Topanga's support on this so you've got this, Man!" Shawn exclaimed.

"Whoa! You realize just now you became Cory and I became you?!" Cory gulped.

"I've got a 15-year-old daughter, and a fiesty mama bear wife due to give me twins, something had to give!" Shawn laughed.

"If only Mr. Turner, Mr. Feeny, and Mom & Dad could have seen the day I come to YOU for advice!" Cory laughed.

" They _have_! I got this whole convo live streamed! Psyche!" Shawn laughed.

"Don't put me through that again!" Cory sputtered as he hyperventilated.

"You should have seen your face! You looked like you were going to . .kiln bricks," Shawn laughed and banged Cory's back.

"_Kiln_ bricks? That's not what you meant! "Cory scoffed.

"I've got two little ones on the way. I've got to clean my lingo and put more imagination into it!" Shawn laughed as he and Cory hugged.

"So, tell me. Has Harley ever talked to you about how he was back then?" Cory asked as they broke the hug.

"Sure, it's kind of funny that we both made it through to the other side and came out as friends," Shawn sighed.

"So, what does he say about the time he was trying to initiate you into his gang by having you smash Mr. Turner's motorcycle?" Cory asked.

"He says he regrets it yet he also says that sometimes he thinks back on that particular event and it seems to him he was a different person then," Shawn shrugged.

"Yeah, he did seem somewhat different in that particular episode," Cory pondered.

" In any case, I know that your parents are proud of you for standing up for what's right with Riley and so am I & all our friends!" Shawn exclaimed as he hugged Cory.

"Really, Shawnny?" Cory asked.

"Yep and you've been my fave drama llama ever since we met over llamas at the zoo way back when!" Shawn exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah! Thanks for saving me from them permanently adopting me back then," Cory laughed.

"There's just one question I have from that time," Shawn pondered.

"What is it?" Cory asked.

" Why were you in glasses as a little kid and why did you quit wearing them almost as soon we became friends? " Shawn asked.

"Long-short is that in kindergarten I got headaches so Mom took me to a doc who said it was from not seeing the Cookie Monster decals on the board clearly so they got me glasses," Cory replied.

"Really? " Shawn asked.

"Yeah, then the school changed library paste brands and it turned out that I'd been allergic to the old paste so that's why I'd had the headaches and not due to any vision problems," Cory explained.

"Oh," Shawn gulped.

"And the new brand tasted better," Cory admitted.

"'Kay. Got anything questions for me?" Shawn asked.

"So who brought you to the zoo anyway?" Cory asked.

"No one. I just snuck in with a group of nuns and no one asked any questions, " Shawn shrugged.

. ..

. .

At that moment at Topanga's. ..

"Guess what?! They're HERE!" Katy exclaimed as Riley, Maya, Farkle, Isadora, Lucas and Zay walked into the café carrying their book bags in silence.

"Welcome back, Riley! Welcome back, Maya! Fun seeing you, Farkle! Great seeing you, Lucas! Nice to see you, Zay! Wonderful to have you back, Smackle!" Topanga shouted.

" Thanks, " Riley gulped in uncertainty.

"Here's an empty booth you six can sit in!" Topanga shouted.

"What would you like to eat first, Baby Girl?" Katy asked-as she approached the group.

"Mom, Aunt Topanga. Whatever may happen between. . Ri. .all of us can't happen under your spotlights," Maya sighed.

"Of course! You kids don't mind us!" Topanga shouted.

"Topanga, I think that was our cue," Katy replied in a much quieter tone of voice and led Topanga back behind the counter.

The six teens sat there and got out their schoolwork while looking at the work individually, Farkle and Isadora looked at each other and nodded while Lucas and Zay did the same but none of them said a word to each other.

"Katy, are you sure?" Topanga whispered.

"Remember, the thing that got Shawn and me to stick together was to enjoy each other's company when we didn't say anything- and the six aren't fleeing to different dimensions so that's a good sign," Katy whispered back.

"But shouldn't there be some apologies?" Topanga asked.

"Sometime actions speak louder than verbal apologies," Katy sighed.

.

.

After a few minutes. ..

"Riley, I'm sorry you were hurt," Maya sighed.

"I'm sorry I've been overwhelming to everyone. If you don't want me around. ." Riley sighed as she nodded to everyone.

"It's not that. It's just that we all need to do things on our own. We're not clones and I'm not even sure Mom and Daddy's twins will want to stay as close as we were for so long," Maya explained while everyone nodded.

"Maya, I. .." Riley gulped.

"There were many wonderful things and experiences we shared from our childhood onward and nothing can take that away but it's time we each grew up and developed confidence to do stuff on our own, " Maya sighed .

"It won't be easy after all this time," Riley gulped.

"I know. It'll be tough on all of us and we'll need to get back together for support," Maya offered.

"So you're saying we're like butterflies that need to struggle in our own in the cocoons before we can each fly on our own?" Riley asked.

"Except that butterflies aren't friends with each other," Maya replied .

" So are you saying that you're seeking a happy medium between becoming hermits and being clones?" Farkle asked.

" I guess we'll have to find out whatever that medium is," Riley half-laughed.

"Anything else, Pretty Brunette?" Lucas asked.

" Well, I realize that I DO owe Grandma Matthews a belated but sincere apology for how I treated her over Brussels sprouts," Riley half-laughed.

"And I can think of at least one big sincere joint apology we need to make to someone who truly didn't deserve our rudeness ,vandalism or being jerks to that person for no good reason, " Maya groaned.

"But Maya, we were just teas-. .." Riley scoffed.

"Were you going to say ' just teasing' the way bullies often say that- along with saying their victims 'have no sense of humor' or 'didn't mean no' when trying to minimize their guilt or justify their bullying?" Maya asked.

"You're right," Riley sighed.

"Face it. Had someone done to us what we did that to that person, we'd have wanted to tear them a new one so, yeah, we DO owe that person at least that much," Maya groaned.

"Looking back, I can't believe how many times I've been a mean, entitled, ungrateful and overwhelming bully when I told myself I was a friendly, nice, charming cutie," Riley sighed.

" You know I've been no angel either but that doesn't mean we can't try to start inching our ways on that 1,000 mile journey!" Maya proclaimed as she clutched Riley's hand.

"Maya, want to come back with me and Isadora to the Suite? I've got some news you may need to hear," Farkle offered.

"Sure, I can be there," Maya insisted.

"It's okay, Maya. Do what you need with Farkle and Smackle. It's as good a time as any to start exercising the butterfly wings solo," Riley proclaimed.

"Zay and me are going back to the Warehouse to meet up with your Aunt Morgan so why don't you join us?," Lucas offered.

"OK, gotta start putting my money where my mouth is in wanting things better for others. Mom, I'm going to go with Lucas and Zay to the Warehouse but I should be back by six. Is that okay?" Riley asked.

"Sure. Honey. Just be sure to text us if you get in any trouble," Topanga insisted to which Riley nodded.

"Mom, I'm going with Farkle and Smackle back to his Suite. Is it okay if I stay to about six," Maya asked Katy.

"That's fine,Baby Girl. Just make sure you text if you need us," Katy insisted to which Maya nodded.

"Hmph! Those kids didn't even order- much less leave a tip," Topanga sniffed.

" It's okay. I think it was worth sparing that booth," Katy insisted.

"Shawn, Cory! You're back! You just missed the girls and their pals," Topanga proclaimed as the two men entered the café and each hugged their wives.

" Katy, I wish I could stay but I just found out something about Jack and I need to enlist Topanga's help," Shawn pleaded.

"_My_ help?" Topanga gulped.

"Yeah, I'll show you the text from Tommy," Shawn gulped as he showed Topanga his Smartphone.

" Oh, that _is_ something I would need to be in on. Sorry, Cory, Katy but you two are going to have to hold down the bakery for a bit," Topanga insisted as put on her coat and left with Shawn.

" OK, so what managerial duties do you want me to help you with?" Cory asked.

"Oh,there's a stack of dirty dishes and scorched baking trays &pans in the back that could use some washing. Our dishwasher's broken so you're it," Katy half-laughed.

"Great! I get to do the glamour spot after teaching, "Cory half-laughed.

. .

..

Manhattan Correctional Center. ..

"OK, Hunter, you've got two visitors," the guard a burly 50-something Kanji Nagato exclaimed- as he led the tan-uniformed Jack Hunter forward towards the phone bank.

"Come to gawk at your screw-up half-brother from the other side of the glass? What's wrong with this picture?," Jack Hunter fumed as he picked up the phone while Shawn did the same.

" Jack, why didn't you call or let me know. .?" Shawn asked.

"I wouldn't have given you the satisfaction! Let me guess. That little snitch Tommy tattled to tell you I was here," Jack fumed.

"Now, Jack we cannot divulge our sources of information," Topanga pleaded via the phone.

"Oh, you brought your fake sister-in-law to butt in- just like she did when she walked into my apartment without even knocking with Angela after you got drunk and attacked me for telling the truth about Dad," Jack sneered.

"Jack, we're here to HELP! Don't forget Topanga's a lawyer and she can get help you get out," Shawn pleaded.

"They gave me a wrist slap of 200 hours Community Service. That pipeline could have serviced this community something big if Topanga's goody-goody half-wit brother-in-law hadn't gummed up my offer and my job!" Jack fumed.

"It would have polluted countless communities' water supplies. Wasn't one Flint, Michigan one too many?" Shawn boiled.

"Shawn, don't let him get to you," Topanga pleaded- as she held onto Shawn's left arm.

"Yeah, back in high school I'd have loved to have seen the tables turn with me on this side and you in there but, as you used to say to me, you're **better** than this," Shawn pleaded.

"And what's made you a saint? Too much sun from that Fiji honeymoon that I paid for with. .." Jack sneered.

"I sent you a thank you note! What more. .?" Shawn scoffed.

"Jack, I already checked it out. You paid for Shawn's honeymoon from interest from a trust fund your step dad set up for you way back so don't try to pretend it was blood money he's beholden to you for!" Topanga fumed.

"Great! Now I can get lectured by two saints in stereo," Jack fumed.

"No, you're now an uncle of one and, in another five months, you're going to be an uncle of three!" Shawn proclaimed.

"An uncle?" Jack gulped.

"Yeah. Chet Hunter's grandkids,"Shawn proclaimed.

"I could have given him a few with Rachel if she hadn't ditched me for that hulking Texas yahoo who wormed his way into the Peace Corp," Jack fumed.

" So you got mad she dumped you and became this. ." Topanga pondered.

" Don't try to go Dr. Phil on me, Nancy Grace Wannabee," Jack snorted.

"Let me AT him!" Topanga snorted as she slammed her phone down and made two fists.

"Guys! Let's calm down!" Shawn pleaded.

"**You **are telling US to calm down?!" Topanga and Jack said together.

" Truth's stranger," Shawn half-laughed.

"Just spit it out, Shawn!" Jack snorted.

"Now do you want to hold out for some ribbon cutting deal to burn off your Community Service or would you like to at least hear us out before you reject it and I have to decide whether my three young ones will need YOU in their lives?" Shawn asked.

"Fine but remember I've made good use of the free weights on the other side of this glass and. .." Jack fumed as he flexed his biceps.

" I'm no weakling! I **also** work out and I inherited Dad's stocky build and I've got unbelievably strong friends there so don't try anything!" Shawn proclaimed as he flexed his own biceps.

"OK, what have you got?" Jack asked.

. ..

. .

Farkle's Suite- 120th Floor of Minkus Collossus.

"We've got some good news and bad news about Mr. Hunter's mother,"Farkle insisted while Isadora nodded.

"Oh, don't tell me she died and. .." Maya groaned.

"No, that's not it. The usual protocol of the Minkus DNA HOORAY for the clients is to put their information to see if there's a match .Then, if there is, to have both parties agree to it before the information is released," Farkle started to explain.

" So what are you trying to say?" Maya asked.

"Well, Farkle knew that it was important to you and Mr. Hunter so. ." Isadora started to say.

"Please Isadora. I can get through this on my own," Farkle groaned.

"OK, so what's going on?" Maya asked.

"Well, we HAVE a direct maternal match with 50 percent shared DNA and identical mitochondria which means either a full sister or mother," Farkle explained.

"Well, I doubt it could be a full sister since I don't think Chet Hunter got together with Daddy's mother to conceive more kids than Daddy himself with her," Maya pondered.

"That's what we're thinking," Isadora sighed.

"So, what's her name?" Maya asked.

" The name given is 'Mavis Noeh' and. .." Farkle explained.

"'Mavis No?!" Maya snorted.

"N-O-E-H. She didn't put anything about herself on the application beyond her current address and name," Farkle sighed.

"And we've been able to find nothing whatsoever about her in public records beyond what she put on the application," Isadora added.

"OK, so do we arrange for a happy reunion . .?" Maya asked.

"That's the problem. Since it was for you, I forwarded to her Mr. Hunter's full name as the one seeking her as his mother and …" Farkle tried to explain.

"So what's the problem?" Maya asked.

"She wrote back 'He needs to leave me alone. I don't want to be reminded of my mistake!'"Farkle groaned -as he displayed on his laptop Mavis's file including that letter.

"Mistake?!" Maya fumed.

"I'm so sorry, Maya, but it's over," Farkle sighed while Isadora nodded.

"Over?! Daddy doesn't need to know what a close-minded. ..meanie she is but I'm going to make sure she DOES know what she's missing by rejecting him!" Maya fumed.

"Maya, you can't!" Farkle pleaded.

"Can't?! She put herself into your database so why would she have done so if she didn't want to chance Daddy finding her!" Maya fumed.

"It may have been for her to find someone else and. ." Farkle pondered.

"No one would be better for her to find than Daddy and my twin sibs-to-be -no matter what she may have thought about Chet Hunter," Maya snarled.

"But you can't. .." Isadora gasped.

"My Smartphone's already got a copy of her application from your laptop's display, Farkle," Maya proclaimed as she snapped it before Farkle slammed it shut.

"NO! Father will sent all of us to the Minkus Phantom Zone if you…" Farkle pleaded as Maya angrily stormed away to the elevator.

"Fine, I'll work alone and take my chances,"Maya proclaimed as she stepped onto the turbo elevator that led directly to the subway station below and instantly closed the door in Farkle's and Isadora's faces.

"Do you think she can make trouble, Significant Other?" Isadora gulped.

" I **know** she can. And look at the address. .." Farkle groaned as he reopened Mavis's file.

"Dandelion Fields Farm, Bakery, Cafe and Crafts Workshop& Healing Home," Isadora gasped.

"Yep," Farkle groaned.

"Surely Maya's tantrum won't ruin everything for. ." Isadora sighed as she hugged Farkle who hugged her back.

"When Maya gets mad and outraged about an injustice, there's no force that can stop her," Farkle groaned.

"Got any ideas what we should do now?" Isadora asked.

"No, I can't say I do," Farkle sighed.

"But surely she must consider that this whole picture is not just about Mr. Hunter's mother and her evident rejection," Isadora pleaded.

"And just when Reverend Lydia was set on helping us turn the Warehouse into that home for homeless children," Farkle sighed.


	14. Escape or Giblets Getting Gravied?

Escape or Giblets Getting Gravied? (Chapter Fourteen)

Farkle's Suite- 120th Floor Minkus Colossus Manhattan, Tuesday, November 22,2016.

"Maya's GONE! And she's on the warpath to confront Mr. Hunter's wayward mother. What do we do now, Significant Other?" Isadora asked..

" I'm trying to think. Perhaps we could go to Mr. Matthews," Farkle pondered.

"And tell him that Maya is set to derail the Homeless Children's Home project that he and Mr. Hunter have worked so hard on?" Isadora questioned.

"Maybe Mr. Hunter. .." Isadora thought.

"Oh, yes! I'm sure he'd be so understanding after he found out that we processed his DNA that we encouraged Maya to harvest said DNA without his express consent," Farkle scoffed.

"Ms. Lawrence-Matthews?" Isadora threw out.

" The same!" Farkle fumed.

"My parents?" Isadora offered.

"They'd not only never let you come over here again but they'd put you back in Einstein Academy first thing," Farkle groaned.

"Warn Reverend Lydia?" Isadora considered.

"And say what? Maya thinks one of your flock is her step dad's mother and is on the warpath because the woman rejected him so could you keep an eye out for her?" Farkle fumed.

"She's likely hang up. Your father?" Isadora considered.

"' Son, you've exposed us to countless lawsuits by harvesting Mr. Hunter's DNA without his consent AND in naming Mr. Hunter as Ms. Noeh's offspring as well giving Miss Hunter access to Miss Noeh's correspondence all of which was totally against HIPAA to say nothing of company protocol. You're going to the Minkus Phantom Zone!,'" Farkle perfectly imitated Minkus's almost certain reaction.

" Farkle, what's the Minkus Phantom Zone?" Isadora gulped.

"All I know is Father said the same thing to a chauffeur after the man lost Father's car keys while we toured that National Park in California- and after Father had just uprooted a mature redwood! "Farkle gulped.

"How has Mr. Minkus become so preternaturally _**strong**_ lately anyway?" Isadora asked.

"I'd rather not go into detail," Farkle sighed.

"While I'm trying to avoid processing that scenario, what can we do?" Isadora asked.

"The best I can think of is to try to keep as close a watch on Maya as possible and chase after her the second she thinks we've let our guard down," Farkle groaned.

"That seems as promising for getting ready for the next scheduled Yellowstone super- eruption," Isadora sighed-as she shook her head but patted Farkle's right shoulder.

"Actually, Father has a contingency plan for that one!" Farkle noted.

"This is likely the one time that news brings me no comfort," Isadora groaned.

. …

. .

Meanwhile at the Warehouse, Shawn and Topanga emerged from a Department of Federal Prison vehicle at the front door accompanying Jack who was in the tan prison uniform with leg chains- and himself escorted by Sgt. Nagato.

"OK, Hunter, you have been escorted to your Community Service detail for the next 3 hours. The vehicle will return here at precisely 8PM. Should you fail to be here at that time, a warrant will be issued for your immediate arrest and charges of Attempted Escape will be tacked onto your sentence . He's all yours folks for the next three hours," Sgt. Nagato groaned as he undid the leg chains then left them alone.

"Whoopdee-doo! Three hours 'freedom' in this dump," Jack fumed.

"Come on. We need to get you to the Project Supervisor so you can be signed in and given your assignment," Topanga insisted.

"Mom, Uncle Shawn, what are you doing here with . ..?" Riley asked as the three walked into Elephant Door- startled at seeing Jack in his prison uniform and not quite sure where she'd seen him before.

"It's a bit of a long story which we'll tell you as soon as we find. .. " Shawn started to say before Lucas approached them

"Mr. Hunter, do you remember where they put the floor sander?" Lucas asked while looking at Shawn.

"I think it's. .." Shawn started to say.

"Mr. Hunter? _I_ USED to be called that! I've seen you before. .." Jack fumed.

"You came to our dance with Uncle Eric!" Riley recalled.

"That's it. Senator Matthews's pal Jack! Well, it's good to have you here, sir, and. ." Lucas beamed as he shook Jack's hand.

"Yes, and my brother ," Shawn added.

"And I must have been too distracted by Eric's act to not see it then. You're Rachel and Caleb Friar's son!" Jack recalled as he released Lucas's grip.

"Yes, sir, I am!" Lucas beamed as he shook Jack's hand again.

"We really need to be getting to. …" Topanga gulped as she and Shawn tried to pull Jack away.

" I should have KNOWN! You have the same hayseed look as Caleb did. " Jack sneered while everyone saw Lucas's happy, proud expression instantly darken.

" Lucas. .." Topanga gulped as she tried to pull Lucas back.

"Please," Riley pleaded to him.

"Jack, Caleb Friar's been dead for years. ." Shawn pleaded to Jack while trying to move him forward.

"He's dead? "Jack replied.

"Yes, sir, '"Lucas sighed.

"Aww. Don't stand on one foot waiting for a sympathy card from me! Rachel always fell for lunkheads- and easily," Jack sneered which caused Riley and Topanga to gasp.

"Now, you listen here REALLY good, Mr. Hunter's brother. ." Lucas started to say.

"Lucas, he didn't mean anything. .." Topanga gulped.

"I can speak for myself to this junior hayseed, Topanga," Jack sneered.

"No one but **no one** trashes my Mama, my late Daddy or any of the Matthewses. I'm easily the **strongest** one under this roof. So do you keep counting on my being respectful of elders holding me back or do you want to chance your next disrespectful crack about them have me pound your frame into something a dog food company would reject? Choice is yours, Mr. Hunter's brother," Lucas said in a low but intense tone while having augmented his grip on Jack's hand-as Jack felt as though every muscle, ligament, tendon in his right hand was on the verge of being burst.

"Fine, kid. Worship your parents and the Matthewses. See if I care," Jack replied in a dismissive voice while his eyes involuntarily teared from the pain.

"I hope your faith in him proves worth the trouble, Mrs. Matthews, Mr. Hunter," Lucas declared as he nodded to them then let go Jack's hand.

"Jack, what is WRONG with you?" Topanga gasped as she and Shawn led Jack away.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed first thing?" Shawn added.

"And if I were? What would YOU care?" Jack sneered while he grabbed his right hand with his left hand.

"Jack, I. ." Shawn sputtered.

"Spare the mawkish platitudes and show me where this supervisor is so we get can get this over with," Jack insisted.

. ..

.

At Topanga's Bakery. .

Maya stormed in ,found an empty booth and slammed her book bag down on the seat while she sat down.

"Is something wrong, Baby Girl?" Katy asked.

"No. No, everything's fine, Mom," Maya fumed- as she took out her sketch pad and charcoal pencil and made a few sharp slashes against the pad with the pencil.

"That looks like an exploding volcano!" Cory gulped- a few seconds later as he showed up with a dishpan of newly clean dishes.

" That's just a coincidence, Uncle Cory," Maya fumed.

"Is it something me or your Daddy did?" Katy asked.

"No, Mom. It's nothing you or Daddy did nor anything Riley, Farkle, Lucas, Zay or Isadora or anyone I know actually DID," Maya fumed.

" Would you like to talk about it, Baby Girl?" Katy asked.

"No, Mom! This is something I'm going to have to work out myself. ." Maya sighed.

"Well, if you want to get some more angst out, there's about five stacks of dirty dishes in the back you can. .. " Cory offered.

"I'm going HOME, Mom!" Maya fumed as she put her sketch book back into the book bag and stormed out again.

"I thought it might help- at least get the dishes done," Cory groaned.

. .

..

Back at the Warehouse. .

"Morgan, here's Jack Hunter who. .." Topanga started to explain.

" Another Matthews sib. I remember you! You sure were a mouthy brat at Cory and Topanga's wedding!" Jack sneered.

"Jack, that was ancient history and Morgan apologized for it long ago ," Topanga sputtered.

"Topanga, I don't care what he thinks about me. I'm supervising renovating this huge warehouse into a livable space for homeless kids. .." Morgan fumed.

"Aren't you going to say you had a crush on me when you were a kid and you'd like a handsome tycoon like me to sweep you off your feet out of the coveralls? " Jack sniffed.

"Jack, please!" Shawn pleaded.

"You arrogant, snotty pig! You're just a **prisoner** who goes home to a holding cell every night and you're going to do the tasks I assign you to the letter or else I'm going to write a scathing report to the Feds about you," Morgan warned.

"Ooh! I'm so scared! If it's any consolation, I wouldn't have you despite you having actually become somewhat of a babe. There's thousands of others besides you or Rachel who'd have me!" Jack boiled.

"As if! I used to think you had better manners than Shawn but he's risen above the Trailer Park while you gag everyone with your Silver Spoon!" Morgan fumed.

"I'd like to gag you permanently, Coverall Barbie!" Jack sneered.

"You keep mouthing off at me, not only will you be getting sewage outflow cleanup duty but I'll show you some of the tricks I used to keep my three brothers in line," Morgan warned.

" I'd say that went better than I expected," Shawn sighed while Topanga nodded.

. . .

.

The next morning. .

Cory Matthews's Classroom, Abigail Adams High

"So, class. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving which means a four-day weekend but more important than that, I want everyone to consider what it means to each of you. So a five-page essay due Monday,"Cory declared to the class's groans.

"Forgive me, Daddy. I'm doing it for you," Maya thought to herself before she took a deep breath and raised her hand.

"Yes, Maya. What is it?" Cory asked.

" Um, I just got a text from Daddy saying I need to pick up giblets for the gravy and to do so before the stores run out so I must have the rest of the day off .." Maya gulped.

" Maya, can I see your Smartphone? Even Shawn. .er Mr. Hunter wouldn't think of something that dumb. .." Cory scoffed.

"Oh, and it's my time of the month so. .." Maya gulped.

"OK, OK. Whatever you say. Go home. .." Cory queasily sputtered as he waved her off.

Maya quickly exited.

"OK, where were we? Oh, yes. I forgot take the placebo pill at breakfast so I'd better take it now," Cory gulped as he took a pill out and washed it down with water from a plastic bottle.

"Mr. Matthews?" Lucas asked as Cory started to look very peaked and wan.

"Dad?" Riley asked while looking quite worried as Cory nodded his consent for that exception to the new 'Mr. Matthews' rule.

"Oh, no! I picked up Auggie's chewable vitamins by mistake this morning- and those things have a weird ingredient that wreck my stomach for the day!" Cory gasped as he ran out of the classroom.

"Now what?" Farkle asked.

" It looks like Mr. Matthews is about to hog the porcelain for the rest of the day," Lucas gulped.

"This happens every time he mixes up Auggie's multi-vitamins with his placebos for hypochondria," Riley groaned.

"Significant Other, we truly need to. ." Isadora pleaded to Farkle as she pointed to Maya's empty seat.

A few minutes later, Principal Eli Williams (who'd taught Cory, Shawn and Topanga their first few years at John Adams High) came into the classroom.

"I'm sorry class but Mr. Matthews will be out for the rest of the day. I hope they can get a substitute here before the end of the day but, in the meantime, I'll teach the class," Mr. Williams explained.

Farkle raised his hand. .

"Yes, Mr. Minkus?" Mr. Williams asked.

"Mr. Williams, I just found out that Father needs me and Isadora Smackle for a special project the rest of the day. .." Farkle gulped.

"I'll text your father to see. .." Mr. Williams started to say.

"Do you want to be the one to go down in history as the man whose text derailed Father's train of thought when he was on the verge of curing Alzheimer's?" Farkle asked.

"Well, no but. .." Mr. Williams gulped.

"Good. Glad you understand,sir! We'll see everyone here back on Monday!" Farkle gulped as he and Isadora ran out of the room before Mr. Williams could respond.

"Sure, Mr. Minkus, Miss Smackle," Mr. Williams sighed.

"Mr. Williams, Mama is havin'. .. a chili emergency,"Lucas asked.

"A chili emergency? But tomorrow's Thanksgiving and. .. " Mr. Williams scoffed.

" We Texans take our chili seriously the whole year round so could , Isaiah Babineaux, Riley Matthews and I help Mama out the rest of the day?"Lucas asked.

"Sure! Why not? I always wanted to teach a half-empty classroom," Mr. Williams sighed as Lucas, Zay and Riley all ran out.

"OK, Yogi Jabonero, Darcy Walker and Brenda Gillespie and the rest . Let's make the most of this," Mr. Williams groaned.

In the hallway. .Lucas and Zay spotted Farkle and Isadora and started to give chase.

"Wait! Before we go, I have to get something from my locker!" Riley shouted to Lucas and Zay.

"Your homework?" Zay asked.

"Yeah, and this!" Riley shouted back- as she took out a garment bag.

"Farkle! Smackle! Wait up!" Lucas shouted as he and Zay ran but the other two increased their speed.

"They're too far ahead of us," Zay gasped as they were running.

"Not for long. Not with my secret weapon!" Lucas exclaimed- as he saw Isadora look behind to see how far behind they were, then WINKED at her.

Isadora immediately stopped in her tracks and swooned while Farkle tried to pull her forward.

"Isadora, what are you doing?" Farkle sputtered.

"My cardiovascular system is in your possession, Significant Other- but I can't resist glowing in the moment of _that_!" Isadora swooned despite Farkle trying to grab her to get her to move forward.

"That's cold, Lucas," Zay sighed.

"It's an emergency!" Lucas replied as they quickly caught up with the now stationary Farkle and Isadora and grabbed them just as the two ran out the School Front Door.

"Let us GO! You don't want to see me go crazy!" Farkle exclaimed.

" It's not that different than otherwise so I'll take my chances," Lucas replied- as all four walked into the street.

"You seem to know where Maya's gone and what it's about so could fill us in on it?" Zay asked.

" We. . .can't!" Farkle gulped.

"It's . ..too complicated," Isadora added.

" I made it," Riley exclaimed out of breath as she caught up.

"You'll never get anything out of us!" Farkle insisted.

"Oh, yeah?" Lucas asked -as he winked several times straight into Isadora's eyes.

"Lucas!" Riley objected.

"It's an emergency!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Don't look!" Farkle screamed he tried to shield her face.

"Sorry, but Maya could be getting into serious trouble and we need to know so we can protect her," Zay pleaded.

" As annoyingly stereotypical as this reaction is, we have no choice but to cave," Isadora groaned as Lucas quit winking at her.

. … .

.

"How did you know I was here?" Maya asked a little later at the Hunter Apartment as she opened the door.

" We suspected Farkle and Smackle knew something about why you ran out so . .." Lucas started to explain.

"So they used unwarranted methods of persuasion! It was wonder. I mean it was horrible!" Isadora groaned.

" I'm sorry you didn't feel comfortable talking to me about this, Maya. You don't HAVE to tell me everything but I would have liked to have helped," Riley sighed.

"Look, this is strictly my deal. You guys don't have to be involved," Maya insisted.

"But you can't burst into someone else's home and confront them by yourself. That could be dangerous!" Lucas pleaded.

"Yeah, and HE should know," Zay sighed while Lucas shot Zay a dirty look.

"Is there anything we can say to change your mind about going there to confront that Mavis Noeh?" Farkle asked.

"No! There isn't!" Maya fumed.

"OK, will you at least promise not to do anything more than shout at her- AND to leave there once you've said your piece to her?" Lucas asked.

"Fine. I promise to do just tell her how she's just hurting herself by throwing away her chance to get to know Daddy and my future twin sibs then I'll leave and never bother her again," Maya agreed.

" Ok, we're in it WITH you regardless of what the risks are to each of us since there's safety in numbers," Farkle insisted.

"Really, but what about . ..?" Maya asked.

"I'll take my chances on the Minkus Phantom Zone," Farkle groaned.

"I'll do the same risking Mama's never letting me see Pappy Joe or set foot in Texas again until I'm grown," Lucas groaned.

"My being sent back to Einstein Academy," Isadora sighed.

"My parents forcing me to be a roadie for Will Smith Concerts," Zay groaned.

"Will Smith? How's that a punishment?" Farkle asked.

" He and Papa got into it way back and I want no part of that," Zay replied.

"And I'll take my chances on risking permanently losing the Bay Window!" Riley insisted.

"Woah! She really IS putting it on the line for a friend instead of just saying she would," Zay gulped.

"Why aren't either of your parents here, Maya?" Isadora asked.

"Mom's already at the bakery- and Daddy got a bogus text about his light bill so he'll be out trying to straight it out at ConEd for hours while I plan,"Maya explained.

"How do you know it was . ..? Oh, Maya!" Riley sighed.

"It's for Daddy's sake! OK?" Maya pleaded.

"So what do you have in mind? " Farkle asked.

"Well, since this Mavis Noeh lives on Reverend Lydia's farm and Reverend Lydia's met all of us. I'm going to need a disguise," Maya considered.

" You mean. We **all** are," Lucas pleaded.

"Luckily, I got my Morotia M. Black get up," Riley insisted as she took out her garment bag.

"And I've got my Riley Two Outfit," Maya exclaimed as she took it out of her closet along with the brunette wig.

"OK, so what about the rest of us? Since tomorrow's Thanksgiving, I'm not sure getting Pilgrim or turkey costumes will cut it," Isadora sighed.

"You're in luck! One of Mom's customers from way back happened to have been the road manager for a touring company of **Grease** that went belly up," Maya started to explain as she led them to Shawn and Katy's bedroom.

"How's that lucky?" Zay asked.

" He left behind a whole trunk of their stage costumes as collateral for a major tab which Mom kept in her own closet,"Maya beamed as she took out the trunk.

"Whoa! If we grease our hair and wear shades and caps no one should recognize us in these costumes!" Farkle insisted.

In a few minutes. ..

"I'll bet my parents never imagined I could pull off being Danny Zuko,' Farkle smirked.

"And could your Zuko be enthralled with my Rizzo instead of the absent Sandy?" Isadora asked.

"Kenicke Murdock may not have been cast as African-American on Broadway but I could pull it off here!" Zay insisted as he adjusted his black leather cap and put on his shades.

"Lucas? The rest of us are in our costumes. Why aren't you coming out?" Riley asked.

" I don't want to," Lucas groaned on the other side of the bathroom door.

" But no one will think. .." Maya pleaded.

" I don't want anyone to see me like this," Lucas groaned.

"It's not for a play but for a disguise and it's to keep Maya safe so. . ." Farkle pleaded.

"OK, fine!" Lucas emerged in with greased-back hair, green bowling shirt,suspenders, grey slacks, Coke-bottle glasses as the **Grease **class nerd Eugene Felsnick.

"You look. .. " Isadora gulped.

"Uncool? Dorky? UnTexan? Yeah, I know! Maya, you SURE this was the only costume in the trunk that fit me?" Lucas groaned.

"Well, the performer who played Frenchie was rather big so. ." Maya pondered.

"Never mind. At least I've kept the same gender in these clothes," Lucas groaned.

"OK. Now that we're in disguise, how do you propose we get to Dandelion Fields from here? I'm not even sure it's anywhere near the closest commuter train stop," Zay sighed.

"I'm on that one! The website has a listing of stores and restaurants they deliver their wares to and, if my calculations are correct, we're very close to the last stop in the city before they head back to the farm," Farkle insisted as he showed them on Maya's laptop.

"So we just wait in costume until the truck shows up?" Riley asked.

"Nah, Mom left a copy here tacked of all Topanga's suppliers' delivery schedules," Maya exclaimed as she walked over the workdesk Shawn and Katy would use for bill paying,etc.

"It's due in 15 minutes! We'll never get there in time!" Farkle gulped.

"Significant Other, you forget the Manhattan gridlock guaranteeing vehicular traffic being delayed minimally 20 minutes late . We can make it!" Isadora exclaimed.

"Wait! Don't you think it's a bit much that the last business they supply happens to be Topanga's?" Zay gulped.

"Yeah, surely we'll get caught!" Lucas added.

"Not a chance! Mom's actually got a court hearing all morning and Dad's likely going to spend all day having motion sickness indoors so the only one there will be Aunt Katy who insists the deliveries go inside while she checks their inventory so she won't see us," Riley insisted.

"Well, I probably should be trying to find flaws in your logic and attempt to talk you out of it but I can't," Farkle groaned.

" I probably should try to talk us all out of riding inside a strange delivery truck to a strange place but I have to admit the excitement of the risk and anticipation of the company threatens to outweigh all logic," Isadora sighed.

"Let's DO it!" Zay insisted.

At Topanga's Bakery. ..

"OK, Helma! This should last us until next week. Hope everyone on the Farm has a Happy Thanksgiving," Katy was heard to exclaim at the back trade entrance

"And I hope you, Shawn,Cory and Topanga do,too. See you next week!" Helma Murdock- a 60-something heavy-set 5 foot 11 grey-haired woman in a blue cap ,red Dandelion Fields logoed coveralls and workboots exclaimed.

"Now's our chance! " Maya hiss whispered as all six managed to climb into the storage container of the Freightliner truck with the Dandelion Fields logo painted on it.

A few seconds later, Helma shut the door and secured the dolly before starting the truck.

"We DID it! "Riley exclaimed.

"Yes, but we have only our Smartphones for light and I hope the journey's not too long," Isadora groaned.

"You don't mean…?" Farkle sighed.

"In all the excitement, I forgot to go," Isadora groaned.

.

But they did NOT go entirely unseen..

From the Matthews' Family Apartment Bathroom Window, Cory had looked out and had at first was amused and thought it was a company of **Grease** performers who seemed vaguely familiar using the truck to get a ride to the next gig- then he noticed the two girls who looked a great deal like Morotia M. Black and Riley II.

At that moment, Shawn came to the Front Door of the Matthewses' Apartment#26 and ready to knock on it when Cory practically knocked him over.

"Cory, I got a Con Ed prank text. What. ..?" Shawn sputtered as Cory ran by.

"OUR DAUGHTERS ARE IN THAT TRUCK!" Cory screamed right before he and Shawn ran down the two flights of stairs as fast as they could but were unable to reach the street level before the truck was entirely gone.

"Shawnny! What do we DO?!" Cory screamed.

"Call 9-1-1!"Shawn exclaimed.

"OK. .No, I saw the logo. It's the Dandelion Fields farm delivery truck," Cory replied.

"So?" Shawn replied.

"So, we need to call our daughters to make sure they're safe," Cory insisted- as he got out his cellphone.

"OK, remember to ask for the Code Words for November we went over with them. Giblets means they're safe while Gravy means we need to call 911!" Shawn gulped as he also got his cell.

. .

In the truck..

"Our cells are ringing and its our dads!"Maya gulped.

"They must have seen us! What do we. .?" Riley asked.

"You'd better answer or they'll get very suspicious and call 911!" Isadora insisted.

"Hello, Dad!" Riley proclaimed as she picked it up.

"Riley! /Maya! Are you okay? What's for dinner?" Cory and Shawn both asked simultaneously on the other end.

"Giblets! " both Riley and Maya replied to their fathers on their Smartphones.

"Riley. .what are. ..?" Cory asked.

"Maya, why did you get into that farm truck?" Shawn asked.

" Uhm. . Darn it. We were planning a surprise but we'll be back in a few hours so don't worry, Daddy," Maya gulped.

"That's right, Dad. We're all planning a surprise there," Riley insisted.

"OK, if you say so but remember you call us if there's the slightest sign of trouble!" Cory pleaded.

"Love you , Dad!" Riley shouted.

"Love you, Daddy!" Maya shouted while each hung up.

. ..

. " So they're going to that farm to plan a surprise? Do you buy that, Cory?" Shawn asked.

" I'm not sure but at least they're not kidnapped and that place helps out all kinds of folks in distress so they'll at least be safe," Cory pondered.

"I got that they knew the Safe Word and they're not kidnapped but I don't quite buy that they're not up to no good there. It seems too much like some of OUR lame attempts at fibs," Shawn groaned.

"You're right. And it made no sense that they were wearing costumes while sneaking into the truck car," Cory sighed.

"So what do you think we should do?" Shawn asked.

" If they're sneaking into Dandelion Farms in costumes and they're up to no good, that could ruin my reputation as an educator and a father in charge," Cory sighed.

"What reputation?" Shawn asked.

"What we need to do is fight fire with fire!" Cory pondered.

" I don't like the sound of that," Shawn shuddered.

"Come on! It's for our daughters!" Cory pleaded as he patted Shawn's beard.

"I don't like the feel of that!" Shawn fumed.

"Well, you won't feel it much longer," Cory half-laughed- as he led Shawn back upstairs.

"What do you mean?" Shawn gulped.

"You'll see!" Cory exclaimed.

. ..

.

"The trucks slowed down a great deal and it's coming to a stop. ." Farkle gulped.

"Wait! What if they park the truck with the storage closed until the end of the Thanksgiving Weekend? " Isadora gasped.

"Why didn't you think of that before?" Maya asked.

"Why didn't ANY of us think of that before?" Isadora gasped.

" Well, you and Farkle are the brains so. ." Lucas considered.

"Shift the whole blame on us. Great!" Farkle fumed.

"Did you get the receipts, Helma?" a female voice was heard from inside the truck car.

"Yeah,Claire, I left them inside the truck!" Helma was heard to say.

"We're…!" Riley beamed.

"CAUGHT! What are you kids doing here?" Claire Ferguson a late 30-something medium height and weight blonde woman in a blue flowered print knee-length and elbow-length dress, a purple apron and Birkenstocks asked.

"Um. .we understand you give sanctuary.. ." Isadora pleaded trying to bat her eyes as much as possible.

" Now, can't you see what's going on? " Helma asked.

"No," Claire replied.

"The girls have all stowed away to get away from their pimps and those two short greaser boys are obviously rent boys having done the same but this big nerd is their pimp who caught up to them," Helma explained.

"' Rent boys?'"Farkle and Zay mouthed to each other.

"No, we're not! He's not!" Zay pleaded while Farkle nervously nodded.

"I'll tell Lydia we have five extra here for tonight .As for YOU, Nerd Pimp! I'll decide what to do with you later!" Helma fumed while raising her fist to Lucas.

" I'm not waiting around. I'm finding a bathroom!" Isadora pleaded as she took off running.

" We'll go with you!" Riley insisted as she and Maya also took off.

"Girls. They need their bathrooms, " Zay nervously laughed before Helma and Claire ran after Riley, Maya and Isadora who all went into different directions.

"How humiliating! With our **Grease** costumes, they think we're rent boys," Farkle seethed.

"It beats being considered a pimp or a nerd," Lucas groaned.

"Nerd beats being a pimp any day," Farkle insisted.

"What difference does it make? They think Lucas is both!" Zay groaned.

"And they think we're too scrawny to do more than be beat up by Lucas. How does that make you feel?" Farkle asked.

"It's been like that since kindergarten, " Zay shrugged.

Meantime, now that they were outside the truck, the guys looked at their new environment.

Dandelion Fields turned out to be a farm about 20 miles north of Manhattan in the countryside with two large barns, one red and one dark green side by side. The Red Barn was used for the dairy cows, chickens, pigs, grain and hay storage while the Green Barn had been transformed into a small restaurant and craft center where everything from woodworking, metal sculpturing, weaving, painting, and a small soap and perfume factory- as well as the office space and laundry. On the other side of the Red and Green Barns were several three-storied,large red brick dormitories as well as former classroom halls all with green window and frame work and red outside doors all laid out in a square from the property's original use as a military academy with its own working farm. Musical instruments and singing could be heard from one of the buildings as well as children laughing with an occasional baby crying from the nursery that all had been repurposed into that venue. There was also another building used as a gymnasium, one used as a library and one used for an infirmary. In the middle of the square was a large meeting hall with stained glass window with the words ' God's Here to Heal Us from Within'where Reverend Lydia would lead services every Sunday and holiday for the residents and visitors that were optional instead of mandatory- and staff meetings would be held. Surrounding all the buildings were fenced pastures, flower and produce gardens and even a small boxwood maze. The residents as well as the permanent staff lived in the dormitories with double occupancy rooms with a bathroom each for the residents and single occupancy rooms with a bathroom each for the staff (including Reverend Lydia). It had staff and residents from virtually all ethnicities imaginable and while there were some preteen and teen boys there, it was mainly grown women and girls who were there to try to recover and rebuild their lives.

. .

Harley Keiner was driving a Harley motorcycle with two oddly attired passengers. Cory was in his Cora the Waitress Costume (complete with wig under the helmet) from the time they each had disguised themselves in drag for a high school newspaper article on how it felt like to be female in Harley's sidecar the now beardless Shawn was behind him in his Veronica Costume (complete with wig underneath the helmet) while Cory rode in the sidecar in the Upper New York countryside.

" You know, when you said no questions asked, I wish I hadn't agreed," Harley groaned.

"Come on! Do you know how tough it would have been for us to have gotten an Uber the day before Thanksgiving," Cory pleaded.

"You really think folks would believe anyone would pay money to sleep with you in that get up?" Harley scoffed.

"Look, we're not Miss America contestants," Cory fumed.

" I was talking to you in the singular not to you and Shawn collectively," Harley scoffed.

"Harley, that's not something I feel like bragging about and its for our daughters' safety not any kind of thrills or giggles! OK?" Shawn fumed.

. …

. .

"Sit down!" Helma fumed to Lucas in the Green Barn as she led him into a small room that had been a stall.

"How many times do I have to tell you?, I'm no pimp, ma'am!" Lucas gasped as he sat down in the tiny chair in the middle of the room.

"Save it for the chief! I've got to find your victims. Claire, keep a sharp eye on this lowlife and if tries anything on you, I'll lynch him myself," Helma snarled.

Lucas knew he actually COULD have physically taken down Helma but he'd had it ingrained from early boyhood onwards NEVER to strike a female even one so big and powerful as Helma so he could only hope to negotiate.

" How could you victimize those tiny kids like that?" Claire screamed in Lucas's face.

"I'm not but we're here for sanctuary. ." Lucas sputtered.

. . .

. .

"Got any ideas? " Riley (in Morotia garb) gasped as she, Maya and Isadora were running from building to building.

" I see a small sign saying 'Dandelion Café' and I smell food," Maya (in Riley II garb) proclaimed- as she pointed to the Green Barn.

"But how will that help. ..?" Isadora (in Rizzo garb) asked.

" Easy. Where there's restaurants, there's kitchens and every kitchen has a work roster so we go there and see if we can find where Mavis Noe's working today and then we can be on our way," Maya proclaimed.

"But what about Farkle, Zay and poor Lucas who they think is a nerd pimp?" Isadora asked.

"We'll explain the whole thing to them. I'm sure they'll understand and let all of them go," Riley proclaimed.

"That makes absolutely no sense," Isadora fumed.

"Do you have any other ideas?" Maya asked.

"No, I can't say that I do," Isadora groaned.

. .

.

"OK, Lydia! Here's the perp!" Helma snarled as she opened the door to Reverend Lydia V. Bolling.

"Now, our callings are to help NOT to instantly jump to the worst conclusions," Lydia insisted.

"But the statistics say that. .." Claire protested.

"Claire, Helma. I appreciate your zeal to protect our flock but statistics aren't the same as what's in individuals' hearts," Lydia pleaded.

"But, Lydia. ." Helma sputtered.

"You're going to believe him?!" Claire sputtered.

"No, I'm going to listen to him then decide what to believe," Lydia replied.

"But.. " Helma protested.

"You two leave him with me. I'll be okay," Lydia proclaimed.

"Are you sure?" Claire asked.

"My faith and my mace spray will keep me good and safe!" Lydia insisted while nodding to the others who exited.

"So, you're the Good Cop, ma'am?" Lucas scoffed.

"No. The Fair Chief! Now, would you like to tell me why you and your pals stowed on our truck into our farm?" Reverend Lydia asked.

"Well, we're . .by any chance are you from Texas, ma'am? It feels good to hear a Southern accent again," Lucas proclaimed.

"No. Newport News, Virginia, but you haven't answered my question yet, young man," Lydia insisted.

"Well, we're here to see about sanc. ..Oh, it's no use! My friend Maya Hunter sent a DNA sample from her daddy to find his mother and she got a match from one of your residents and a curt note rejecting her daddy so she wants to let the woman have it with both barrels," Lucas groaned.

"Could you take your glasses off and wipe some of that grease out of your hair?" Lydia asked as she handed him a towel that she'd carried in.

"Yes, ma'am!" Lucas groaned as he did so.

"Lucas Friar- Rachel McGwire Friar's boy. And all of you have been helping your folks with the homeless children's home in Manhattan, " Lydia fumed.

"Miss Lydia, we didn't mean any harm," Lucas sputtered.

" I know but do you have any kind of idea what kinds of ordeals my staff and residents have endured, nightmares they've had to face?! They truly don't need to have someone poke into their lives when they're just starting to find worth as people," Lydia fumed.

" I know all that, ma'am, but Mr. Hunter's not knowing who his mother is can't be doing him a bit of good much less why she'd reject him. Can you imagine not even knowing where your loved one could be or why they dumped you?" Lucas pleaded.

"Actually, I _can_," Lydia sighed.

. ..

. .

" Okay, Johnette Baboon and Shawna Hunter. Here you are!" Harley proclaimed as they made it on Harley's Harley cycle to the main gate of the wooden fenced Dandelion Farms.

"And you are?" Claire asked Harley while Cory and Shawn climbed out of their spots on the motorcycle.

"Oh, Miss. These two wayward tired . ..people of the evening would like the chance to heal. Can you at least have them for the Thanksgiving holiday?" Harley asked as he took off his helmet

"Um.. Sure. Why do you look familiar?" Claire gulped at the sight of Cory and Shawn in drag while they took off their helmets and fluffed their wigs.

" We're here on a mission to make sure some young girls from our . . profession are safe and sound," Shawn gulped in his Veronica guise while trying to raise his voice.

"Okay. ." Claire pondered as she started walking them all towards the café.

"And we take our coffee black, honey!" Cory barked in his Cora guise.

"Cora discovered some johns liked girls with. . . laryngectomis , "Shawn explained.

"Very desperate sicko johns at that," Harley groaned.

. . .

..

"Aha! Found the roster- and Mavis Noe! She's on laundry duty! Let's go!" Maya proclaimed having run out of the kitchen (and not realizing how close Shawn and Cory had gotten at that time).

. .

.

"How long has everyone been gone, Farkle?" Zay asked while the two stood in the center of the square.

"I'm not sure but I guess we need to see if we can catch up with Maya,Riley and Isadora then try to rescue Lucas," Farkle sighed.

"So, do we try to see about faking being rent boys so they can teach us how to carve channel changer holders and back scratchers from blocks of wood?" Zay asked.

. . .

"Mavis Noe?" Maya asked as she came upon a woman petite brunette woman with short hair in her late 30's in the laundry room.

"How did you find. .?" Mavis gasped as she was taking load of laundry out of a large washing machine then loading it into the large clothes drier.

" Never mind that! We'll go once we have answers," Maya fumed while Riley and Isadora tried to pull her back.

"Maya, this can't be . .." Isadora gasped.

"She's far too young. .." Riley added.

"I'm not going until she gives me answers!" Maya proclaimed.

"What do . ..?" Mavis asked.

" We'll ask the questions! How could you submit your DNA to a family search database if you didn't want your own son to find you?" Maya fumed.

"Oh, NO! I didn't submit my DNA! You've got to believe me! Please leave me alone!" Mavis sputtered.

" Do you have any idea of what kind of angst my daddy's gone through all these years first growing up thinking a nasty, neglectful hateful pain was his mother then having no idea who his real mother was but being told she'd rejected him at birth without a backwards glance?!" Maya fumed.

"No, I'm sorry about your father's ordeal but I can't have him. .." Mavis pleaded.

"Well, in spite all those setbacks and being raised by folks I wouldn't leave a rattlesnake with, he's been the best daddy imaginable to me, the most wonderful husband to Mom and will be a great daddy to their twins. Yes, twins! And he's made a good life for us by doing an honest living and he's trying to help other onetime homeless kids- and you can't be bothered to meet him?!" Maya sputtered.

"I told you. I didn't submit any of my DNA- and I've been barren since I was fifteen," Mavis sobbed.

"Maya, perhaps we need to . .." Isadora pleaded.

" Yes, it seems she's suffered,too," Riley gulped.

"Please! He CAN'T see me. Not ever!" Mavis pleaded.

"Sorry you've suffered but. .." Maya started to say.

" Who are you to judge me?! My life's been a nightmare with me being horribly used and exploited virtually every moment from the time I was fifteen until just months ago," Mavis sobbed.

"Then why did you submit the DNA ..?" Riley asked.

" I thought I could help find the baby boy of the first person who ever sincerely tried to help me. I owed her that. She's been heartbroken all these years but I never imagined that. .." Mavis said between sobs.

"SHERRI?!" Shawn (in his Veronica guise) gasped as he came upon the scene with Cory(in his Cora guise) in the laundry room.

"Daddy?!" Maya gasped while Riley and Isadora were too stunned to speak.

"Oh, NO! Shawn, I know you must hate me for having led you to Mr. Mack's clutches and you don't know how sorry I am but PLEASE leave me alone," Sherri Acosta AKA Mavis Noe pleaded between sobs.

"You're ALIVE! Thank GOD for that! All these years, I've had nightmares about that time and seen all of you from the Centre in them wondering what happened to you," Shawn sobbed as he hugged Sherri AKA Mavis.

"Daddy, why are you and Uncle Cory in drag and why did you shave your beard?" Maya gulped.

"We'd do **anything** to protect you (even put our manhood on the line for it) and what's this deal about DNA?" Shawn (in his Veronica guise) sputtered while Cory (in his Cora guise) nodded.

"Daddy, I'll accept whatever punishment you think I deserve but I just wanted to give you the chance to find out the truth about. ." Maya sobbed.

"My mother?! No, Maya! She wants nothing to do with me and ,since Dad said she's worse than Virna was, what's the point of finding. .?" Shawn (in his Veronica guise)groaned.

"Shawn, do you have any idea how much you look like. ..?" Sherri AKA Mavis gasped.

"ME! " Reverend Lydia Veronica Bolling gasped and immediately burst into tears- as she came into the laundry room accompanied by Lucas, Farkle and Zay (still in their guises) as well as Helma, Claire Ferguson and Harley Keiner who all were stunned to see the resemblance along with almost the rest of the room's occupants .


	15. Veronica's Return

Veronica's Return (Chapter Fifteen)

Dandelion Fields Farm Laundry Room. .

Shawn (freshly shaven-faced in his Veronica guise) couldn't stop staring at the older woman minister who seemed so familiar and he could feel everyone else in the room staring at the two of them- especially Maya, Cory, Riley and Sherri. He also couldn't help but feel very strong emotions emanating from this woman who was silently crying and seemed anxious to envelop him in a hug.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Reverend Lydia Veronica Bolling. . .Macon. By any chance are you Sean ( S-e-a-n)Patrick Macon, Chester Macon's son?" the 5 foot 4 inch,59-year-old Lydia with her wavy brown hair in a chignon and blue eyes gulped.

"No, Shawn(S-h-a-w-n) Patrick Hunter, Chet Hunter's son but. .. " Shawn sputtered as he took off the Veronica wig.

"Veronica?" Cory mouthed to himself -as he took off the Cora wig.

"Macon?" Maya mouthed to herself.

"And were you born in Xenia, Ohio on March 18,1980 in the Last Hitch Trailer Court?" Lydia gulped.

"Yeah, but.. ..you can't be. You can't be!" Shawn sputtered.

"Daddy! Fate's staring you right in the face! She's _Nana_! "Maya pleaded.

"No! No! She CAN'T be! She CAN'T be! My birth mother was a stripper who took off and this one's a lady who helps those who've been caught up in adult entertainment surely. .." Shawn sputtered.

Lydia drew a deep breath. ..

"Do you remember those commercials with the president of the Hair Club ?" Lydia asked.

"Sure but what. .?" Shawn sputtered.

"Well, just like he wasn't just the president but also a client. I'm a client, too. I liked to call myself an exotic dancer and I went by 'Veronica' back then. ." Lydia proclaimed with a deep breath.

"Vernonica?" Shawn and Cory mouthed to each other.

"_You_ were an exotic dancer?!" Maya gasped.

"Among other professions," Lydia sighed.

" But. ..but.. " Shawn gulped.

"Here's a picture of me and Chester Macon on our wedding day," Reverend Lydia proclaimed as she took out her wallet and took out a very faded, worn snapshot of her from her wallet of herself in her early 20's with her wavy, brown hair draped over her shoulders in an emerald-green dress with a baby-blue veil on her head, looking uncannily like Shawn's Veronica and a young red-haired Chet Hunter in a lime green leisure suit with the caption "Wheeling Weddings, June, '79'.

"But he said that you. .she took off and left us before he had the chance to finish telling you. .her . .it's a boy!" Shawn sputtered as he looked at that snapshot then back to her.

"What?!" Lydia gasped.

All that got every other girl and woman in the room did face palms.

"Daddy, not even Wonder Woman could have had the energy and strength to have pulled THAT off right after giving birth!" Maya groaned.

"Reverend Bolling, my daughter Maya Penelope Hunter, " Shawn introduced as he pulled Maya's brunette Riley wig off.

"We'd met last month at that café and I'll be glad to give a DNA sample to prove what I know in my heart!" Lydia insisted.

" Reverend Lydia, you already DID," Sherri AKA Mavis gulped.

"What?! When?!" Lydia gasped.

"You asked me why I wouldn't help with nursery duty and I told you I couldn't face babies since I'd never have one thanks to . .you know and then I overheard you tell one of babies in your arms that you had a baby boy out there you wished you could have held again so I sent off for a Minkus DNA HOORAY kit and that night when we had chicken kebabs. .." Sherri AKA Mavis started to say.

" And suddenly you swore I had something in my teeth and offered to use a skewer to get it out before I could even object but then wound up scraping the inside of my cheek. You know, I thought it felt like _plastic_ instead of wood," Lydia pondered.

"Maya! You did the same to me for Farkle's so-called Saliva Project months back. Right?. ."Shawn pondered.

"Yes, Daddy. That's what. ." Maya gulped.

"But surely. .." Shawn sputtered.

"Oh, come on, Daddy!" Maya fumed.

"Look, you look almost identical but you want more proof? I have in my hands a portable instant DNA kit that'll settle whether there's a match in fifteen minutes. It's Father's newest prototype," Farkle insisted as he took out as small devise with an attachment to his Smartphone as well four new swabs from one of the leather jacket pockets he was wearing as Danny Zuko.

"I'll do it! Then I shall gladly tell you my side of what happened then, if you still refuse to have me in your life, I'll. . . leave you and your loved ones alone," Lydia insisted while sighing .

" If it will get everyone off our backs. Fine!" Shawn snorted.

"Just to show the devise's accuracy, I'll also do a random match between two of the most unlikely relatives. Zay and Mr. Keiner," Farkle proclaimed.

"Yeah, why not? This has been the kookiest day I've had in decades," Harley shrugged after putting down two large garment bags he'd carried in while Zay nodded.

So with that, Harley and Zay had their inner facial cheek cells put in to be analyzed then Shawn and Lydia did the same.

"Shawn, in fifteen minutes you're going have your life turned upside down but before you do, I'll tell you what REALLY happened with Mr. Mack and the Centre," Sherri (AKA Mavis) insisted.

"Are you sure?" Shawn asked.

"Yes, I owe you that," Sherri (AKA Mavis) sighed as she took Shawn to the next room while Cory followed.

"OK, how did you get mixed up with that?" Shawn asked.

"I was fifteen and in my zillionth foster home when Mr. Mack heard about me and told me what I wanted to hear. ." Sherri shuddered.

"So, why did he pick me?" Shawn asked.

"He'd heard you came from a dysfunctional family and would be an easy mark- and he told me that I could avoid the Celebrity Room for three days if I brought in a recruit," Sherri confessed.

"Avoid? But why was it called. ." Cory asked.

"Because that is where he'd have us go to . ..cavort with rich clients and also sell them pricey drugs. That's how we made money for him," Sherri shuddered.

"Did you know that, Shawnny?" Cory asked.

"No. As I told the F.B.I., I just saw folks in suits going in there then coming out with weird expressions but they never had me go in there or told me what it was about," Shawn recalled.

"That's because you only had **just** become a Lifetime Member but in a few more hours had you returned with Mr. Mack from Mr. Turner's hospital room, it would have been _your_ turn," Sherri shuddered.

"But I'm a guy. Why would he have. .?" Shawn asked.

"So were half the members and there was a market but he had all Lifetime Members _fixed_ so we'd be docile and not have any children, " Sherri shuddered.

"THAT kind of fixed?" Cory and Shawn gasped.

"Yeah, he had a quack on the payroll do it for a cut rate," Sherri sighed.

"Cut rate is right," Shawn gasped.

"And when you rejected him, Mr. Mack came back to the Centre absolutely livid and I can't tell you how he punished all of us for your defection. He could go from Mister Rogers to the Marquis de Sade in an instant," Sherri shuddered.

" I believe it! No way that whole room of teens could have instantly fake laughed a moment after him when I asked it was a cult had they NOT been terrified of him punishing them for _not_ doing so. I almost went back to get my stuff after Mr. Turner's accident but Mr. Matthews and Mr. Feeny both said stuff was stuff but **I** was irreplaceable so I stayed behind at the hospital after Mr. Mack left," Shawn shuddered.

"Mr. Matthews and Mr. Feeny were absolutely right because if you had gone back with Mr. Mack, you'd have NEVER seen the light of day again- even before our 'disappearance'," Sherri gulped.

At that Shawn and Cory hugged each other and took deep breaths of relief before Cory spoke.

"So, why did he reject my brother Eric?" Cory asked.

"The 'insincere about hugs' was Phillip Mack's code for Eric being too much trouble for the group- between him being related to you who was openly suspicious from the start AND being too honest to keep our secrets , " Sherri explained- as she pointed to Cory.

"So why did he want to recruit Stuart Minkus and Jennifer Bassett?" Cory asked.

"Mr. Mack knew Stuart Minkus was a genius and he thought if he had a brainwashed, broken genius in his clutches like the Soviets and Maoists did to their nations' scientists, the Centre would be unstoppable in enslaving the masses and he thought Jennifer Bassett would be a good draw for the Celebrity Room," Sherri shuddered.

"So thankful they both instantly rejected him," Cory sighed while Shawn nodded.

"So, what happened four days after I. .." Shawn asked.

"He ranted about having a contract put out on you for leaving. Then also more contracts on Cory &Alan Matthews and Mr. George Feeny for their open opposition to him but was unable to have any of those carried out before the 'disappearance' but Mr. Mack had had Mr. Jonathan Turner's bike sabotaged," Sherri shuddered.

"I KNEW it! If he were in front of me, I'd put HIM in the hospital the way he had put Mr. Turner there! So why did all of you leave instead of killing me, Cory, Mr. Matthews and Mr. Feeny?" Shawn seethed.

"Shawn, let's be grateful our lives as well as my dad's and Mr. Feeny's were spared," Cory gulped.

"I am but I'm still curious. ." Shawn replied.

"We had a mole working inside the F.B.I who tipped Mr. Mack off. He knew we couldn't last any longer in the States or that he could avoid major prison time. So , just minutes after our last class in school, he had us flee to a series of so-called safe houses then the so-called Tanning and Hugging Center in the Bahamas which was a total hellhole before we finally made our way to Brazil to more hellholes about a year after we fled Philly. .." Sherri recalled.

"So what happened to Mr. Mack and the others. ..?" Shawn asked.

"He traded us around to different pimps- which he'd done even before we fled Philly . Then, in Brazil, Mr. Mack and seven of his fixed Lifetime Member Guy Guards died in a shootout. Their deaths were almost instantaneous but Mr. Mack died paralyzed and in excruciating pain five days after that shootout between him and some local pimps back in 2005," Sherri explained.

"He's dead and suffered horrible pain? I hate to sound cold but I'm not sorry," Shawn boiled while Cory nodded.

"You don't know how **lucky** that you woke up and got away within two days! It took years after Phillip Mack's death for my blinders to get scorched off and I had to face the ugliness of just what a totally horrible, evil bastard he was to every single person he ever came in contact with and how he took so much away from ALL of us- and I helped him!" Sherri gasped between choking sobs while Shawn and Cory both hugged her.

"What happened after he died? Were you still trapped?" Cory asked.

" One of the other Centre Members tried to succeed and pimp us for a while but eventually the whole thing got taken over by Brazillian pimps so we were traded back and forth like rummage sale rejects all over Latin America so many times . . and it was only in the last few months I and three other Centre Members were able to make contact with the Feds who got us out," Sherri sighed.

"I'm so relieved some of you survived," Shawn exclaimed.

"True. Fifteen out of 25 members died from disease, squalor and violence while we totally lost track of six members' fates altogether down the years," Sherri shuddered.

"So what now?" Cory asked.

"I've testified to the Feds everything I knew about what happened. They sent me here for Reverend Lydia and her farm to teach me how to live and be a productive contributor to my new community so I'll be ready when the Feds resettle me under my new identity of Mavis Noe," Sherri said with a sigh.

" I guess things will look up for you, " Shawn pondered.

" Maybe so but I can never go back to being Sherri Acosta, I have to somehow live the rest of my life with what Mr. Mack did and my part of having brought you and others to him knowing what Mr. Mack had planned for us and I can … never, **ever** have children," Sherri sobbed at the end.

"Well, good luck to you in your new life and ,take some comfort in the fact that your desire to make Reverend Bolling happy, you got us to meet her and see the great work she's done for so many- regardless of whether I'm related to her or not," Shawn sighed as he hugged Sherri.

"Harley! Could you bring out the garment bags so we can get changed back?" Cory asked as he peeked back to the laundry room.

"And I'll point out where the nearest bathroom is and there's cold cream in the medicine cabinet," Sherri offered.

"Yeah, let's DO it!" Shawn gulped before he and Cory ran into the bathroom with their garment bags then changed into their regular clothes and scrubbed their makeup off as quickly as they could!

"The time's about up! We're about to find out!" Farkle called from the laundry room moments after they'd finished changing and scrubbing off the makeup.

"Shawnny, do you think there's a chance your mother could be Reverend Lydia?" Cory gulped.

" Before I met her, I didn't think there could be or that my real mother was any good but this Reverand Bolling is someone that I'd . .._like_ her to be my mother but I've had fate throw my wishes back in my face so many times," Shawn groaned.

"Maybe not this time, Shawn. You two look so much alike! Can't you at least be willing to see if this could be true?" Cory asked.

"But then this would mean that. . this would mean that. .," Shawn stuttered as he and Cory walked back to the laundry room.

"What are you afraid of?" Cory gulped.

"That Dad LIED to me about her and didn't mean what he said about protecting me. ." Shawn shuddered.

" I hate to say this but. . ." Cory sighed as he patted Shawn's shoulders.

"Yeah, why should I be surprised that he may have lied about this when he lied, made zero protection and broke promises to me virtually every single time I knew him in this world? But surely he couldn't have lied about this. Surely he knew he **owed** me the truth about her. Surely. .." Shawn gasped while hyperventilating.

"Shawnny, if there's nothing the last few days hasn't taught me is that confronting the harshest, shabbiest truths beats hiding behind the fanciest lies and denials. You owe it to yourself to finally find the truth, Bro!" Cory beamed as he hugged Shawn.

"You're with me?" Shawn asked as his breathing returned to normal.

"Every step of the way even if it means you have to pick up the pieces of dashed hope once again," Cory insisted.

"Thanks!" Shawn gulped as he broke the hug and led the two of them back to the laundry room.

.

.

"Oh, My! What a handsome young man you are, Shawn!" Lydia exclaimed as she hugged Shawn then felt his smoothly shaven face with her hands.

"Th-thanks! You're beautiful, too!" Shawn replied while hugging her.

"And what about me?" Cory asked.

"You certainly have some distinction, " Lydia proclaimed.

" 'Distinction'? " Cory whined.

"Here are the reports!" Farkle insisted as he held up his Smartphone.

"Based on the analysis- Subject A has 0.01 percent shared DNA with Subject B- meaning there is a likelihood of a subjects being sixth cousins," Farkle's Smartphone robotically spat out.

"Oh,NO!That can't be!" Lydia gasped as she burst into tears.

" I'm really sorry to hear that but we're still related. Still, I'd have _liked_ to have been your. .," Shawn sighed while he hugged her.

"Wait! That's the one between Zay Babineaux and Harley Klein!" Farkle insisted.

"_We're_ blood bros?!" Harley asked.

" Never would have guessed but not surprised. We have all kinds of ingredients in the gumbo," Zay shrugged.

" So, what about. .?" Maya started to ask.

"Here it comes!" Farkle insisted.

"Based on the analysis, Subject C has 50 percent shared DNA with Subject D with identical mitochondria - meaning there is 100 percent certainty that these subjects are either mother/offspring or full siblings!" Farkle's Smartphone robotically spat out.

"My . .my Baby Boy!" Lydia exclaimed as she hugged him and sobbed happy tears.

"Mama?!. ..MAMA!" Shawn sobbed as he hugged her and picked her up off the floor before the two collapsed onto the nearest couch.

"Oh, how I've prayed for this moment every single day ever since I had to hand you off that that. .bih. ..Virna character. Can you ever forgive me for not being there for you?" Lydia gasped through sobs while clinging to Shawn for dear life.

"I'm too stunned to think . .to even speak. I never imagined you'd ever want to hold me much less **be** with me," Shawn gasped between sobs.

"I've **ached** to do so!" Lydia exclaimed.

"And let me guess,ma'am, you built this place so you and others who had no families and needed to rebuild their lives could have a home and family," Harley beamed.

" I just wanted him to be proud of me- even if he never wanted to meet me, "." Lydia exclaimed as she drew her breath before she stood up and the whole group followed her as she started walking toward the Meeting Hall with Shawn and herself supporting each other in their arms.

"You're my first blood relative since Jack that I've felt like bragging about!" Shawn exclaimed as he hugged her again.

"Here's another snapshot, Son," Lydia beamed- as she handed Shawn another faded Polaroid from her wallet of her holding him as a newborn in bed- with the faded but still barely legible handwritten caption 'Baby Sean and Me, 3/18/'80'.

"This is the first baby picture I've ever SEEN of me!"Shawn gasped while the others looked in shock.

"Really, Daddy?" Maya gulped.

"Virna said we shouldn't take pictures so they couldn't be used on wanted posters," Shawn choked.

"Were she and Chester . .?" Lydia started to ask.

"Mama, Dad's name was Chet . Chet Hunter. He'd been _born_ in Macon, Georgia. It looks as though 'Chester Macon' was an alias, " Shawn recalled.

"Are you sure Hunter was his real name? He sure seemed capable of lying about so MUCH!" Maya sighed.

"I met dozens of folks with the Hunter surname growing up who said they were related to Dad so it looks as though that's one thing he managed to mutter something true about," Shawn sighed.

" I promise to only tell you the truth even though there are many parts of it I wish hadn't happened and you may be ashamed of," Lydia insisted as she clung onto Shawn's hand as they entered the Meeting Hall.

"Never! There've been too many lies and too much shame. But please tell me why you did you leave me with them. I know now you always have loved me and have waited for me and . .I love you, too, but why. .? "Shawn asked with pure curiosity and no anger in his voice.

" It somewhat is tied to why I've been heeding my calling of helping others find their strength to be the good folks God knows we can be," Lydia sighed as she and Shawn sat down on a couch having made their way the Meeting Hall which had couches instead of pews for the congregation.

"But you seem classy with good grammar. Mom and Dad would love to know you and so would Mr. Feeny- unlike Chet and Virna who they barely tolerated for Shawn's and my sakes," Cory recalled as he sat down on an adjoining couch.

"Well, I've been a telephone friend with a Lila Bolander Feeny for years due to our mutual interests in charity and education but I've never met her in person or her husband George. We always valued education even when we had no monies. The Bollings were one of the First Families of Virginia- and we were there before all the others since one of our ancestors was the only great-grandson of Pocahontas!" Lydia recalled.

"Pocahontas?! So we're . I'm descended from Native American royalty!? WOW!" Shawn beamed.

"Pocahontas's daddy was Powhatan, the emperor of as many as 30 tribes living in the Virginia Tidewater region," Lydia confirmed.

"Isn't that cool, Daddy?" Maya exclaimed as she brought out the first print out detailing Shawn's maternal DNA from a pocket of her costume.

"It sure IS! Our family's been here for millenia!" Shawn exclaimed.

"Yes, sir, and we had ancestors in the Virginia's House of Burgesses ,scholars,and soldiers in every war our nation's been in from the Revolution onward. We traded on that for a long time. By the time I was born, though, our particular branch's fortunes had waned but we still got good restaurant tables and invites to cotillions with just our name, Lydia explained with pride.

"But if you had all that going for you, why. .?" Maya asked.

"Because my folks took pride in the family name but not in how to treat family behind closed doors," Lydia sighed.

"What do you mean?" Shawn asked in uncertainty.

" Well, there were business associates of my parents who did things . .. no one should do to a child," Lydia shuddered.

"Oh, how awful!" Shawn gasped while hugging her.

."I tried to tell my folks but Daddy refused to speak of it and Mama said I'd be hurting the family and her friendships with their wives if I told anyone," Lydia sighed.

" Just like Chet and Virna said about his drinking and her abuse &neglect. I couldn't tell outsiders what was really happening( not even Cory or my half-brother Jack) or I'd be 'hurting the family' so I always pretended they'd improved and gotten cured," Shawn seethed as he hugged Reverend Lydia.

"Oh, I'm so SORRY that they didn't do right by you. I trusted them to do that. You know if I had known where you were and taken you with me away from them, I **would** have.. " Lydia cried as she hugged him back.

"But .. .I still don't understand why you left me with them," Shawn replied with pure curiosity.

" By the time I was fourteen, I knew I couldn't stay at home and have the folks who were supposed to love me just keep throwing me to the wolves . .so I ran away. Back then, I had quit using 'Lydia' and because I thought that was an old lady's or baby name and went by middle name 'Veronica' because I thought that made me tougher. Let's just say that by the time I was 20 and had become an exotic dancer, it was quite a few steps up from what I'd **had** been doing to survive," Lydia shuddered while Shawn hugged her tight.

"How horrible," Isadora shuddered while the others nodded

"So, how did you meet and . ." Shawn asked.

"I'm getting to that. Well, I'd just spent two years in prison for forgery after I did that to a customer's check to pay a bill and I was on parole that's where I met Chester or Chet. He and his croney called Eustace Crawley blew into Canton, Ohio selling aluminum siding and they caught my performance there. Now, let me be clear that Salome may have taken all Seven Veils off but I kept three of them on the whole time but let the customers think otherwise. Anyway, another customer got drunk and tried to storm the stage but Chester. .Chet decked him and that's what impressed me. He was kind of like a Viking in his day and I liked that he was willing to defend me. He also said he was sad over his wife Elaine taking his baby boy Jack away and divorcing him. I was charmed enough by all that, wanting someone to spend my life with and hearing another Southern accent in Ohio that when he proposed we go to Wheeling, West Virginia to elope, I didn't feel like turning him down," Lydia recalled.

"Mama, I hate to tell you this but he was married so many times I have no idea whether yours was legal," Shawn groaned.

" He and Virna sure threw that in my face when. . but, _at the time_, I believed it was legal and we were together a week before he said he had to go back on the road. Oh, and just before we met, I did something I'll always regret. I'd stupidly forged another check to pay for the rent so that was the end of my parole and I was back in prison two weeks after we'd married," Lydia sighed.

"In prison?! How could they put you in prison? Were you carrying me then?" Shawn asked.

"I didn't know it when they sentenced me for five more years, but yes, I was and, as soon as I knew I you were on the way I had to get out before they found out," Lydia explained.

"Get out? Where you hoping Dad or your folks would bail you out or. .?" Shawn asked.

"No. I had no idea where Chester . .Chet had gone and my folks had long since disowned me so I knew they'd be no help but I couldn't let you be born in prison or put in foster care," Lydia explained.

"You ESCAPED?!" Shawn and Maya exclaimed at the very same time.

"In a prison laundry cart with a bunch of rags destined for a paper mill. I had no one left who loved me but I thought, if I had someone TO love and make proud, I could survive and I wanted you as soon as I knew I was going to have you!" Lydia explained when Shawn hugged her.

"Then what?" Shawn asked.

"I found a fellow inmate's cousin who took me in for a time but then moved me to other safe houses. I knew that was no life for you so I thought I'd get a phony passport and make a new life for us in Mexico or Brazil. I was at the top of my middle school Spanish and Portuguese classes," Lydia explained.

"So that's where Daddy gets his uncanny language skills from!" Maya proclaimed.

" I guess it is since the other Hunters besides Jack could barely speak slang," Shawn beamed.

"That's great you have that, Shawn!" Lydia exclaimed as she hugged him.

"Thanks but then what happened?" Shawn asked.

"Well, the first place I tried for a fake passport was a sting operation and I barely got out without being arrested all over so I didn't dare try it again. Then for roughly next six months I was hiding out and homeless- sometimes in safe houses and cheap motels while I did bookkeeping off the books for cash,"  
Lydia explained.

" What kept you going?" Shawn asked.

" I prayed a great deal and I used to talk & sing to you ,"Reverend Lydia recalled- as she put her right hand on her abdomen.

"You _sang_ to me?" Shawn gasped.

"Yes, my great-grandmother used to sing 'Listen to the Mockingbird' to me when I was tiny girl and that was one of my favorites so I sang that one most often," Lydia recalled.

"How did it go?" Shawn asked.

At that Lydia sang all the traditional verses of the 1855 song then Shawn hummed the altered chorus.

"No, that's not it," Lydia objected.

"It's from the opening of the Three Stooges shorts! I used to listen to that and always somehow felt safe and comforted beyond knowing I'd see the Stooges beat up each other again- and I never knew why," Shawn pondered.

"Oh, how I wish I could have been there in person but they had wanted posters plastered all over and radio& television bulletins of me escaping prison! I knew that they'd take me back but I couldn't let YOU be born in prison , be put in foster care and I knew I couldn't trust my folks to protect you," Lydia shuddered.

"So you found Dad but how and. .?" Shawn asked.

" By chance I came across Eustace Crawley again at a truck stop in Lima, Ohio and he told me about Chester having taken up with this Virna person and gave me their address in Xenia. Almost as soon I got there by hitching a ride, my water had just broken. I showed up in the middle of a bad rain so it was either seek shelter inside there or take my chances having you outside in the rain and having us both die of pneumonia," Lydia sighed while Shawn hugged her.

"So how did it go when you met. ..them?" Shawn gulped.

"Oh, I knew I looked like something a cat dragged in but.. I had hoped Chester or Chet would at least be hospitable for your sake. Virna called me all kinds of vile names and it was only because Chester or Chet said that if they turned me out and I died near the trailer, they'd risk getting in worse trouble if they didn't let me stay to have you that she let me in. Oh, I'm not going to lie. It broke my heart how quickly he rejected me for her and she threw it in my face that she'd become his wife and I never was and she looked as though she could scratch my eyes out as easily as look at me," Lydia shuddered.

"She always had that effect," Shawn seethed.

"Oh, I heard Chester. .Chet argue that she had the blues because she couldn't bear any new babies after her delinquent son Eddie by her last boyfriend and he pleaded with her to take care of you so they could get welfare checks for you so she agreed," Lydia sighed.

"You'd already borne me?" Shawn asked.

"No, not then but then they got an old African-American midwife called Nanny Cheatham who lived on the other side of the trailer court to tend to me while I labored with you for a whole day in Virna's trailer. It was so filthy and nasty with all that cigarette stink," Lydia shuddered.

"You mean, you never smoked while you carried me? Dad said. .." Shawn asked.

"My God, NO! In spite of tobacco making Virginia rich for centuries , I always hated that smell! I didn't want to chance your lungs not being healthy and I'd read the Surgeon General's warning when I was a little girl, " Lydia gasped.

"Were you the one who suggested my name?" Shawn asked.

"Yes. I always knew you were going to be a boy. Don't ask me how. I just did . So I asked that you be named for my two grandfathers Sean Bolling and Patrick Connaught and during the labor I kept repeating over and over S-E-A-N, S-E-A-N! But then it was finally over and Nanny Cheatham put you in my arms and took that Polaroid of the two of us together but I knew our time was coming to an end since I'd seen another TV news bulletin with my name as a prison escapee during the labor," Lydia sobbed.

"Then what happened?" Shawn asked.

"Then I held you in my arms for a moment before Virna said Nanny Cheatham's grandsons had to take me to HER trailer by a stretcher so I could recover there and she & Chester. .Chet could pull off being your parents. They didn't even bathe you before they had me taken away and they were so hateful to poor Nanny Cheatham despite all her help," Lydia explained.

"My God! They wouldn't let you hold me longer than that or nurse me?" Shawn gulped.

"No! " Lydia shuddered.

"How did I react to . .Virna?" Shawn asked.

"Well, you didn't want to leave me and. ." Lydia recalled.

"Please, Mama! Tell me the truth," Shawn pleaded.

"Oh, you looked so scared and screamed at the first sight of her ," Lydia shuddered.

"Mama, I'm sorry but I quickly became like them or pretended to become like them to survive but I . . .**never** felt like I belonged there despite my often telling myself otherwise," Shawn sobbed as he hugged Lydia who tightly embraced him back.

"I always knew you didn't, Shawwny! You were always a million times better than them!" Cory consoled as he patted Shawn on the shoulder.

"How I begged her to please take good care of you! At least Nanny Cheatham's trailer was nice & clean and _she_ was friendly. I could hear through all the arguing and fighting of that trailer court, an ambulance at Virna's trailer, then she phoned Nanny Cheatham's trailer and told me they'd pulled it off convincing the paramedics she was your. .your. . . mother. Then I begged her on the phone to please let me nurse you with my collustrum . At first she refused, but then I mentioned to her that if I did so, you wouldn't get so easily sick and that would save on ambulance and hospital bills for her," Lydia shuddered while Shawn hugged her.

"That's how it always worked. You had to convince her NOT doing something would cause her more trouble than doing it," Shawn fumed.

"She brought you over really fast and practically threw you at me! I nursed you as long as I could and sang to you one last time while she watched us like a vulture but, even before you were finished taking in nourishment, she grabbed you like you were a toy she wanted to keep from another child from playing with and took you away without another word while I begged her to bring you back! I spent the next week in Nanny Cheatham's trailer recovering from the birth but they'd already moved their trailer away when I left and I never saw you from that time to this!," Lydia sobbed while Shawn hugged her and cried.

"What a **horrible** **BITCH**!" Maya fumed while everyone nodded in agreement.

"What did Dad do?" Shawn asked.

"He shrugged his shoulders and said that he was living in Virna's trailer so he couldn't rock the boat and . . .I could smell liquor on his breath. I told him of a P.O. Box I'd set up under a fake name he could send me pictures and stuff about you and he said he'd send them but he never did and he promised he'd tell you about me and the good parts of my family but. .." Lydia sobbed.

"Dad never even told me your name! He told me _Virna_ was my birth mother from the very start and I only found out different when she sent that note disowning me. ." Shawn seethed.

"Then what happened? Um, Nana?" Maya asked.

"I'd like that, Child," Lydia beamed as she hugged her.

"Let's negotiate," Maya pondered while hugging back.

"Anyway, about a month later, I buried those two photos under an abandoned barn floor I'd found so they'd be safe until my sentence was done, then I surrendered myself to State of Ohio and I was in prison for the next ten years. I hoped they'd bring you to visit but they never did and I tried to find you as soon as I got out but Nanny Cheatham had died ,your father and Virna were long gone and no one in that trailer court recalled hearing of Chester and Virna Macon. I didn't want to intrude. I just wanted to know you were healthy and happy and that's all I want **now**," Lydia insisted.

" Do you want me in _your_ life? I mean, I've made a ton of mistakes and I've got plenty of flaws," Shawn sputtered.

"Of course, I want you in my life and I love you for who you are but. ..why were you wearing women's clothes?" Lydia asked.

"Cory and I only wore those to get in to make sure our daughters were safe and we didn't think you'd let us inside here to seek them out as men !" Shawn exclaimed.

"I saw them get into your delivery truck back in Manhattan and we didn't want to chance them getting hurt," Cory added.

"We'd originally wore those in high school when Cory did an undercover article called 'Chick Like Me' so we could find out what being a teen girl was like from their point of view but that was the only time we wore those clothes until today," Shawn explained.

"So where did you get the 'Veronica' from that you called yourself in that guise?" Cory asked.

" Oh, I heard Dad onetime drunkenly shouting that name in a passionate way when I was about four which led to a huge old fight with Virna but I never imagined that that could have been my mother's name," Shawn gulped.

" As long as Daddy and Uncle Cory are fessing I'd better fess that we wore our own costumes so you wouldn't recognize us. ..me before I had the chance to ask Mavis Noe WHY she was rejecting Daddy as a son," Maya explained.

"Lydia, there's. ." Claire Ferguson started to say as she came into the Meeting Room.

"Claire Ferguson?" Shawn asked as she came into the Meeting Room.

"Shawn Hunter?!"Claire gulped.

"Claire? Was it _this_ Shawn who got away from your abusive father's clutches and to your aunt's place in Vermont?" Reverend Lydia asked while pointing to Shawn.

"Yes, Lydia. It was!" Claire beamed.

"Oh, when she told me what you did. I was proud of you even though I never imagined that her Shawn could be **my** Shawn!" Lydia exclaimed as she hugged Shawn again.

"You never told me that, Daddy!" Maya gasped.

"Well, he's better than he often has thought he was," Cory insisted.

In the midst of all this Sherri (AKA Mavis) approached the group.

"Is something wrong, Mavis?" Lydia asked.

"Reverend Lydia, I know what I did was selfish but I didn't expect YOUR son to be Shawn Hunter and I hadn't seen anyone from that time in all these years and knew he'd have every right to hate me so I panicked. I can call the Witness Protection and they can relocate me tonight if you like," Sherri (AKA Mavis) offered.

"The old Veronica would have had the urge to tear your hair out for putting my boy in harm's way but the new Lydia considers it a blessing he's survived and has faith you'll do all you can in your life to make up for your part in that. You've been through quite a lengthy, horrible ordeal ," Lydia sighed.

"She's not the only one," Shawn sighed as he hugged Lydia.

"Tomorrow is a day of thanks so I'd like to invite all your family and friends up here to celebrate God sending each of us back into our lives!" Lydia insisted.

"Mama, Katy's already started to cook and so has Cory's wife Topanga," Shawn gulped.

"You would be welcome to bring up any dishes and we can finish them off in no time if we don't get to them tomorrow! Katy's your wife, right?" Lydia asked.

"Yes, Mama! Since July and Katy's four months along with twins! I adopted her daughter Maya when we married so you're going to be a grandmother of three in April!" Shawn exclaimed.

"Oh, how wonderful! " Lydia proclaimed as she hugged him then Maya.

"And let me introduce you to some of my other family members. This is Cory Matthews and his daughter Riley! The whole Matthews family, Mr. George Feeny and Mr. Jonathan Turner more than anyone else in Philadelphia gave me lifelines to cling onto during my troubled youth without which I don't think I could have survived- even though I didn't always appreciate them like I should have !" Shawn proclaimed as first Cory then Riley shook her hand.

"Oh, I knew there was something blessed about the Matthewses when I met them last month in that Manhattan cafe . **Thank** you for being the family my boy needed!" Lydia proclaimed as she hugged Cory then Riley.

"Shawnny's been a boon to us and it's great to know that you're there for him!" Cory proclaimed while hugging her.

"And **I'm** here for you from now on, Mama for the rest of our lives!" Shawn declared before he and Maya hugged her.

"Is there anything else you'd like to ask, Shawn?" Lydia asked.

" We have a whole lifetime to catch up on but could you tell me how you became a minister and started this place?" Shawn asked.

" As I said, I wanted to make you proud even if you never met me and I wanted no other woman or baby to have to go through what we did. In prison, I also remembered the faith I'd had as a tiny child . Not about the mean old man throwing lightning bolts I heard from the pulpit but the God who'd been there for me, guided me even during my worst times ,gave me faith you survived and gave me strength to endure. So I got my GED then my college degree in theology and became an ordained Methodist minister in prison and started my first sanctuary in a downtown Columbus old store. Seven years ago, I heard of this defunct military academy farm being for sale so our patrons pooled all our resources and we got it and we're now self-sustaining. I've found that being able to create and nurture things can get us to feel God's light shine again within despite our ordeals so that's why we're here," Lydia explained.

"That's just great, Mama! " Shawn declared.

"Why did you call this place Dandelion Fields, Nana? That's just a weed!" Maya laughed as she pointed to the sign over the main gate that read 'Dandelion Fields, Founded 2009. All are welcome to grow!'

"That's what many folks in these parts think now but these were flowers that the Colonists brought over special to here to use for salads, wine and even medicine. Later their descendants forgot and just considered them weeds. Well, many of us here also have often been dismissed as useless weeds but God knows we each have lights that can shine on hills even after being hidden under bushels -and our roots are tough and near impossible to be moved!" Lydia laughed.

"That's so deep, Nana!" Maya proclaimed while hugging Lydia.

"What's that noise?" Harley asked.

"Could that be a helicopter. .Cuz?" Zay asked before everyone ran out of the Meeting Hall and into the main square to watch the Minkus Turbo Copter land.

" So, I guess this means you called Father," Farkle groaned.

" Yes, we did! As soon as we could, we contacted all your parents and have been letting them know exactly what you've been up to, "Cory replied.

"But we did it for your sake, Daddy!" Maya gulped.

"Maya, I'll always be grateful to you for having done all this to heal my own and Mama's hearts and to have her there for your impending twin sibs. And I'm thankful for your friends to protect you and I'll be in your debt for doing in spite of my choking pessimism - and I'm most thankful of all that you're safe and sound!"Shawn beamed as he hugged her upper shoulders.

"Thanks, Daddy," Maya exclaimed.

"But that doesn't mean all of you aren't in major trouble for skipping school , disguising yourselves, stowing away on a strange truck, harassing a stranger and trespassing on someone else's property," Shawn explained as he hugged Maya.

"Yes, Daddy," Maya groaned.

"Shawn, I'm not about to press charges over this for something that was meant to be!" Lydia protested.

"Which we thank you for! Don't we, Maya?" Shawn exclaimed.

"Yes, Nana. I'm sorry for trespassing and thanks for not pressing charges," Maya groaned.

"Well, all of you are welcome here at any time- as long as you give notice!" Lydia beamed as she hugged Maya.

"Thanks, Miss Lydia! That's so cool of you! As for _you_, Riley, you and your friends nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw you get into that truck! Yes, it was for a wonderful cause and we're very thankful that Uncle Shawn and his mother are reunited but that doesn't erase how careless and irresponsible you were. You could have been KILLED!" Cory seethed while Shawn nodded and looked at Maya- as he hugged Riley.

"Well, it looks like your motion sickness is over with, Dad," Riley gulped.

"Yes, I suppose all the shock and anxiety somehow overwhelmed it," Cory sighed.

Right at that moment Minkus, Rachel, Topanga, Katy, Mr. and Mrs. Babineaux, Mr. and Mrs. Smackle all stepped off the helicopter and made an angry beeline towards their offspring.

The rest of them hugged their offspring then more or less echoed what Shawn and Cory had had to say.

"So Father are you going to send me to the Minkus Phantom Zone?" Farkle asked.

"Had the risks you'd undertaken proved catastrophic instead of beneficial, I would have. However, since you think you're bigger than your proverbial britches, it's time you prove it,Son!" Minkus fumed.

"What do you mean, Father?" Farkle gulped.

"The start of your path to be my galactic viceroy has been advanced and , after your training, you will never again be vulnerable to being trapped inside any vehicle," Minkus insisted .

"Galactic viceroy?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing to worry about for . ..a century or five," Farkle sighed.

. . .

"Mama, there she is!" Shawn exclaimed as he pointed to his wife who was trotting towards Shawn as quickly as she could being four-months pregnant with twins.

"You must be Katy! " Lydia exclaimed as she ran up to her newly found daughter-in-law and hugged her.

"And you're. .?" Katy asked in uncertainty..

" Lydia Bolling- Shawn's mother. .!" Lydia exclaimed.

" Did you just say you're Shawn's _mother_?" Katy gulped in shock.

"That's right. And you'd be welcome to call me Mama!" Lydia proclaimed.

"Of course! I can see the resemblance! I'd like to do that and look forward to getting to know each other! I lost my Mommy back in September who turned out to have been my grandmother and also found out about my own actual mother who'd died when I was a baby,," Katy replied as she hugged Lydia.

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you want to ever talk about that, I'd be happy to do so," Lydia offered while clutching Katy's right hand with her own.

"That's so nice of you to offer. I may do that before too long," Katy pondered.

"Well, I don't want to overstep my bounds but I'd like to invite you, your family and all your friends up here to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. You're welcome to bring anything you've already prepared . It won't go to waste," Lydia proclaimed as she, Shawn, Katy and Maya all hugged.

. ..

.

"Riley, what's wrong?" Isadora asked Riley a few minutes later as she seemed rather sulky outside the group as the other parents had just accepted Lydia's invites- AND had spelt out their offsprings' punishments.

"Oh, Maya introduced me to her new found grandmother as her lifelong best friend," Riley sighed.

"I think that's a wonderful descriptor which should automatically esteem you in the older woman's eyes!" Isadora beamed.

"You don't understand. It wasn't that long ago, she would have introduced me as her sister and said there was no one more perfect . ." Riley sniffed.

"Riley, if there's one thing that being a high functioning autistic individual has taught me is when one attempts to make things all or nothing, one risks oneself to be left with the latter," Isadora insisted.

"I don't think that would happen!" Riley protested.

"Isn't it better that she values you as a lifelong friend who gives you each room to breathe than not to have her in your life at all?" Isadora asked as she walked away and let Riley think about what she said.

. .

"Shawn, something in your eye?" Topanga asked as she approached Shawn afterwards .

" Did you see how Mama's holding Katy's arm as she walked down those stone steps?" Shawn sniffed while looking over at them on a steeper part of the farm.

"Well, yes. It's good manners to take a pregnant woman's arm to help her down steps," Topanga shrugged.

" She didn't spell it out but I know that NO ONE took Mama's arm when walking down steps or slopes when she was carrying me," Shawn sniffed then took a deep breath.

"So you've found the mother of your dreams. That's just wonderful!" Topanga exclaimed as Cory nodded.

"Yes, and we're going to have a the Best Thanksgiving Ever! I can't think of a better reason TO give thanks!" Shawn beamed.

" I hope the kids all enjoy it- because come Monday, they're all grounded and phoneless with every spare moment not in school, studying or sleeping being used to help with the bakery, the homeless children's home and here under close supervision until Christmas Eve when they'll have to do all their Christmas shopping," Topanga related.

"Oh, you're _good_, Counselor- and all the other parents agreed!" Cory exclaimed as he and Topanga hugged each other.

"Shawn, I'm sure you'll be hearing of it from Maya but we told Riley that since she did all that risky stuff to protect Maya, she's got a Hail Mary in keeping the Bay Window but that if she ever pulls anything remotely like that again, it'll be OURS!" Topanga proclaimed.

"Anything else? " Shawn asked.

"Oh, in spite of the happy reunion it brought, Minkus wasn't happy that we didn't instantly call 911 when we saw them get in the truck but. .."Cory sighed.

"I TOLD you we should have done that," Shawn groaned.

"But if we had, how would we have ever found out about your mother and who she REALLY has been?" Cory asked.

" I know Mama says the Lord works in mysterious ways and I admit I truly can't imagine how else this would have ever happened, " Shawn half-laughed.

" Minkus is going to give us a chopper ride to pick up our stuff in Manhattan in 20 minutes then we're all coming back here this evening to spend the Thanksgiving weekend," Cory explained.

"Good but what about Jennifer? I may actually be willing to be in the same venue as her for everyone else's sake but I'm still not _eager_ to. .." Shawn groaned.

"Relax. Farkle said she threw her back out yesterday playing squash in their Suite's court and the Suite's infirmary prescribed an entire week of bed rest flat on her back so she can't make it here ," Cory related.

" I'll be happy to send her a plate with all the fixings. Jennifer'll love Mama's ham biscuits!" Shawn half-laughed as he ate one he'd picked up from a tray in the kitchen earlier.

" Shawnny.. ." Cory groaned.

"I'm getting there but I'm not pretending I'm not sorry that she won't be with us," Shawn insisted while licking his lips.

"Did you ever find out where that bogus Con-Ed text came from?" Cory asked.

" Maya fessed it was her and I should have known not to trust something that spelled Con-Ed with two d's but I didn't want to take the chance. So was it purely out of nostalgia that you and Topanga kept the Veronica and Cora dresses, wigs and shoes?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, that's it," Cory nervously laughed while Topanga glared it him.

"It's a good thing you saved those or else we may not have gotten in here so easily or I may not have not been instantly recognized as Mama's offspring . However, since there's absolutely no need for either of us to ever wear those again. BURN THEM in front of me!" Shawn ordered while clutching Cory's right shoulder with his own right hand and gripping it hard enough to discomfit Cory.

"Yes, sir," Cory groaned.

. . .

. .

At the Warehouse in Manhattan. ..

"Not a bad job with the re-tiling, Hunter," Morgan beamed while Jack was redoing a bathroom.

"Yeah, I learned a few things in the Peace Corp. Did a Matthews actually deem to throw a praise to the Fallen Hunter?" Jack asked.

"Why do you have be so hostile and throw back every compliment?"Morgan scoffed.

"You'd never understand," Jack sneered.

"Try me! We've got a few hours before your paddy wagon's due and we get the day off for T-Day," Morgan insisted.

" Shawn couldn't care less about me and he's never pretended otherwise but Eric, Cory, Topanga and even your parents ALL faked it all that time when we were in college,," Jack boiled.

"What are you talking about?" Morgan sputtered.

" They all dropped me and never bothered to send me a Christmas card after college and, despite my being one of Cory's Groomsmen, NONE of you bothered to tell me that Cory and Topanga had had a daughter until last year Eric introduced me to her at her middle school semi-formal," Jack seethed.

"Really? I never knew that. Did you ask either Shawn and Topanga why they didn't mention Riley until then?" Morgan asked.

" Shawn said that he thought Cory &Topanga had done so while Topanga said she thought Shawn had done so but that oversight was fourteen years of them not bothering to check each other's notes .. Who needs those folks who get gushy on whims but ignore you the rest of the time?" Jack fumed.

"You think you're the only one who's ever felt overlooked?" Morgan asked.

"You?! You're the Matthewses' only daughter and . .." Jack sneered.

"Yes, but having the folks always having to watch out for goofy Eric or worry about drama llama Cory and then there's Joshua. ." Morgan related.

"Your baby brother? What did he do?" Jack asked.

"Believe it or not, just seconds after Mom promised methat she'd make the last six weeks of her pregnancy with him nonstop mother-daughter time, THAT's when she went into premature labor," Morgan half-laughed.

"You resented him for that?" Jack gasped.

"I know Mom was in her mid 40s when she had him and it had been a riskier pregnancy for both of them than any of us could have imagined but back then.. Yes, I did," Morgan related.

"And you never got to have that mother-daughter time, did you?" Jack asked.

"Joshua needed her constantly from his almost dying at birth and she wouldn't let him out of her sight for the longest time and he was a beautiful baby who broke hearts even in the nursery but I did resent him," Morgan confessed.

" So did the mother-daughter time ever happen?" Jack asked.

"Oh, Mom and I would have a few times of getting mani/pedis and shopping when I was a teen but ,even then, I couldn't help but feel she was going through the motions for me but with her always needing to be ready to drop whatever for him at a moment's notice," Morgan related.

"You know, if I were a drinking and free man, I'd take us to a bar so we could drink to all those folks who think we're expendable!" Jack snorted.

"What about Eric? He was nice and reunited with you. .." Morgan insisted.

"Yeah, but during the whole time he was dodging my pitch for the pipeline then taking me to the kids' semi-formal, he was wired. And I thought he and Tommy were my _friends_ but that little snitch Tommy openly said he'd do anything to protect Eric from getting dragged down. I should have known him calling me 'Rat' when he was a kid wasn't him being cute, " Jack fumed.

"But that was over a year so why.. .?" Morgan asked.

"It took about a year for all the appeals to be exhausted- along with my job with the pipeline AND all my funds for the lawyers," Jack groaned.

"So, you're going to be homeless after this?" Morgan gulped.

"Between Rachel dumping me for that Friar Texas hayseed while we were in the Peace Corps then Shawn and you Matthewses barely speaking to me after college and now my getting punished for being successful in business, who needs any of this?" Jack seethed.

"Jack, you can't end things like this.. " Morgan pleaded.

" I wouldn't give ANY of you the satisfaction! "Jack sneered.

"So we each got a somewhat sucky hand but that doesn't mean we. .." Morgan started to say when. .

"Is that your Smartphone?" Jack asked.

"Yes, and it's the weirdest message. Topanga has arranged for both of us to come up tomorrow and for you to have the day free for Thanksgiving at. .. Shawn's mother's place?," Morgan gulped.

"You must mean MY mother Elaine's? That _is_ a surprise!" Jack attempted to correct.

"No, Shawn's mother and it's at that Dandelion Fields Farm in upstate," Morgan gulped.

"You mean he actually tracked down that stripper who wound up with her expiration date expired that those bleeding hearts took in out of pity?" Jack sneered.

"No, she's the 'bleeding heart' who RUNS it. Take a look at her picture!" Morgan gulped as she showed Jack a picture of his would-be stepmother.

"An older female Shawn. She's actually stunning and looks respectable\- nothing like that scary,trashy redhead clown Virna," Jack gasped.

"He got her brown, wavy hair and blue eyes just like you got your mother Elaine's blonde hair and brown eyes," Morgan gulped.

"So Dad lied through his teeth about Shawn's Mom. Big surprise . I sure don't want to be anywhere close when the fit hits the Shawn!" Jack gulped.

"What twists will happen next?" Morgan asked.

. ..

..

To say that Dandelion Fields with the bounty of family, good food and friends proved the Best Thankgiving Ever for Lydia, Shawn, Katy, Maya, Cory, Topanga, Riley, Auggie, Eric, T.J(Tommy),Agent LaChance, Rachel, Lucas, Minkus, Farkle, Isadora, Mr. and Mrs. Smackle, Zay, Mr. and Mrs. Babineaux, Harley, Claire Ferguson, Sherri (AKA Mavis), Helma Murdock, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Turner,Jack, Morgan, Alan, Amy, Joshua, Mr. Feeny, Lila, and all the staff and residents was a bit of an understatement with Shawn especially eager to help with the dinner production in any way he could (although some misunderstandings that had existed between some others ,[besides Shawn, Lydia and his nuclear family], hadn't been entirely resolved- Jack, in particular keeping his distance from all the others but partaking in the food).

They would stay there _en masse_ until late Saturday evening when they disbursed to New York, Philadelphia and other parts. Shawn, Katy and Maya accompanied Lydia to Philadelphia where Shawn, Katy and Maya stayed with Alan and Amy while Lydia stayed with the Feenys for the day that Sunday she insisted that she needed to pay her tribute to Chet's marker.

Wearing a black, knee-length dress with her cross over her prominent bosom, black hose and medium heeled black pumps with a black veil, Reverend Lydia( accompanied by Shawn, Alan and Amy) approached his tombstone which read:

'Chet Hunter, 1948-1999- Remembered'

"Well, Chet or Chester, as I thought of you, you were nice to me when I needed it and I loved you despite your faults . I wish it had lasted but what HAS lasted from our time together has been our wonderful, intelligent and thoughtful boy, Shawn who we made and God put under my heart. I'm so thankful that I've finally been blessed to know him and we also have a wonderful, creative and intelligent granddaughter a kind and understanding daughter-in-law and will be blessed with twin grandchildren next year. So, if you hear me, know that I've made a good life for myself despite everything and being reunited with Shawn has enriched it so I bid you farewell!" Lydia proclaimed in a steady, calm voice then left a single dandelion flower atop the tombstone then pinched her nose.

"Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, could you please take Mama back? I need some time alone with Dad, "Shawn asked.

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Shawn?" Alan asked while Amy nodded while pinching her nose.

" I need to do this and please don't wait for me. I should be back in another hour, "Shawn sighed.

"We'll look forward to seeing you when you've done whatever it is you need to do, Son!" Lydia exclaimed kissed Shawn on the right facial cheek before she, Alan and Amy all walked out to together-pinching their noses.

Shawn, in contrast to his mother, was wearing grey jeans, a green plaid flannel shirt, a black leather jacket- and steel-toed hiking boots with thick socks and waited about ten minutes when he was sure the others had gotten far enough away to not hear him.

"Chet, you remember that quote from that movie **Twins** with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny De Vito you liked so much?" Shawn asked.

" What's this 'Chet' and not 'Dad', Shawnny-Boy?" Chet's Ghost asked as Shawn visualized him standing next to the tombstone.

"Don't worry about that now. Your favorite quote was when Arnold asked what the third rule in a crisis situation was before he and Danny De Vito replied 'DUCK!' right before a gigantic chain dropped on a bad guy!" Shawn recalled.

"Yeah, that sure was a hoot, Shawnny Boy!" Chet's Ghost laughed.

"And it happened right before another quote voiced by their mother played by Bonnie Bartlett which now seems rather relevant to me. ." Shawn fake laughed.

" What are you. .?" Chet's Ghost nervously chuckled.

" 'You STOLE my family from me. YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH!'" Shawn boiled as he carefully took off Reverend Lydia's dandelion before he simultaneously spat on and KICKED Chet's tombstone- actually hard enough to put it an angle and thankful that the steel toes in his boot protected his actual toes in the process.

"Now hold on there, Shawn! That's not what happened!" Chet's Ghost gulped.

"You knew Virna was pure trash from Day One who thought nothing of abusing & neglecting me and encouraged me to think of HER as my. . female DNA donor my whole childhood and even on your deathbed when you made your zillionth empty promise about wanting to spend time with me. ."Shawn seethed.

"Empty promise?! You know I was going to make up for lost time and **be** with you!" Chet's Ghost protested.

"I believed that with all my heart and mourned what-might-have-been for SO many years but now I realize it was as empty as every single other 'I've changed' 'I've sobered up' claim you EVER made!"Shawn boiled.

"But. .but.." Chet's Ghost sputtered.

"And to top it ALL off, you SLANDERED my real mother's character and name ! " Shawn boiled.

"Now Shawnny Boy. . I didn't . ." Chet's Ghost protested.

"You're right! You didn't even bother to TELL me her name while you slandered her and encouraged me to think I was a literal motherless bastard from bad stock on BOTH sides but I was supposed to be eternally grateful for the few crumbs you and Virna threw at me while you boozed and threw pity parties and she abused, neglected and repeatedly abandoned me! "Shawn boiled.

"Shawnny, you must believe I did it to protect. .." Chet's Ghost sputtered.

"You never even ONCE protected me from ANYthing in your existence much less EVER confronted Virna for all her abuses, neglect and abandonments of me - just shrugged them all off like it was one big joke and expecting me to do the same," Shawn seethed.

"But Veronica was a fugitive an' she was going to jail for ten years. She had no place in your life. ." Chet's Ghost sputtered.

" You and Virna paraded a nonstop motley crew of criminal scum in front of me my whole childhood- and I guarantee that one glimpse of Mama Lydia's sweet, adoring face even behind bars would have INFINITELY more soothing than having to deal with Virna's permanently hateful scowl! " Shawn boiled.

"Now, Virna may have been a bit flighty but she wasn't abu. ." Chet's Ghost sputtered.

" If I had told even half the truth of what she did back then, they'd have taken me away from you two and no more welfare checks issued for my supposed behalf. Yeah, and that whole 'your real mother was a stripper so flighty that she took off right before I finished telling her it's a boy' was something only a three-year-old could have bought! And I've thought about it and NOW I recall that that was _exactly_ my age when you actually did **say **it aloud! Right after Virna killed Tubie!" Shawn boiled.

"Are you still hung up about that bit of rubber. ..?" Chet's Ghost scoffed.

" A leaky inner tube that you brought home from your garage to toss out one day but I found it and took some of Virna's lipstick she'd thrown out and drew eyes,whiskers and a mouth around the valve that I pretended was a nose! I used to imagine he was Battle Cat to my He-Man among other adventures," Shawn sniffed.

" Yeah, you did have long hair back then,"Chet's Ghost half-laughed.

"I didn't get my first haircut or first pair of real shoes until I was five. No wonder my hair was so long! You and Virna couldn't be bothered to scrounge monies for those extravagant luxuries for me but you two always somehow never wanted for cash when it came to your booze and coffin nail necessities which my welfare checks helped PAY for!" Shawn seethed.

"What did you care about that rubber. .?"Chet's Ghost gasped.

"Tubie was my only toy and my only friend until Cory," Shawn sobbed.

"Now Virna didn't mean it when.. ." Chet's Ghost sputtered.

"When Tubie's mouth got too faint and I tried to take another lipstick tube from her trash. She grabbed Tubie out of my hands and whipped my legs and butt with him hard enough to bruise the next day and then, when she was finished, she _burned_ Tubie in the stove and we ate burnt rubber flavored Salisbury steak TV dinners that night. I had never imagined I'd look forward to smelling cigarettes in the trailer again," Shawn seethed.

"So Virna wasn't the best cook but. ." Chet's Ghost half-laughed.

"And then you came in drunk and I told you what she did- and THAT's when you told me that horrible, baldfaced LIE about Mama Lydia and how I should be grateful to Virna for powdering my butt way back as a baby. Then ,of course, you sobered up and denied you ever said any such thing any time I'd ask you until I stopped asking but you never stopped encouraging me to think Virna was my female parent!" Shawn boiled as he spat on and kicked Chet's tombstone again.

"Are you just here to . .?" Chet's Ghost asked.

" Mama Lydia LOVED you but you left her high and dry without a backwards glance. Then you threw that nasty Virna in her faceand you let Virna treat Mama Lydia like filth in spite of Mama Lydia wanting you to take care of me because she didn't want me born in prison and she didn't want me to die of exposure outside. She knew when she escaped she'd be put back in for _more_ time but she wanted me to have a chance- then she lived her life so I could be proud of her and has brought hope to countless broken folks even if I didn't want to meet her. And you and Virna literally couldn't have cared LESS about any of that or **me** because we weren't like you two!" Shawn seethed.

"Now, Shawn. .." Chet's Ghost tried to add.

" Despite your history, I was so desperate to believe that you _would_ one day protect me that I eagerly bought your lie that you had protected me one solitary time in your life by buying that bull you concocted about Mama," Shawn boiled.

"But Shawn. .." Chet's Ghost continued.

"You lied to protect your self so I wouldn't know about how you did Mama wrong and resent how you and then Virna misused and mistreated Mama Lydia- and me! Thanks to your empty, broken promises, lies ,manipulations, and my wanting so badly to believe you and believe in you, there are over three decades of being apart that Mama and I can never get back. Not EVER! No matter what!" Sean screamed and sobbed as he kicked Chet's tombstone yet again.

"Now, your Mom and I had our reasons. ." Chet's Ghost sputtered.

"Chet, don't you ever EVER again refer to that . .Virna as . my .. female parent. She was a horrible enough of one to Eddie and Stacey as it is. You and Virna must have smugly thought you pulled a REAL fast one on Mama Lydia by you calling yourself 'Chester Macon' and garbling S-E-A-N to S-H-A-W-N to throw Mama Lydia off my trail but God put our shared DNA and mitochondria inside us to make things right and bring us back together despite all your evil efforts !" Shawn shouted while pumping his right fist in triumph.

"Now hold on, Shawwny. S-H-A-W-N was easier for me and Virna to spell and if we'd used the other, we'd have called you 'See-ANN',"Cht's Ghost sputtered.

"No surprise that you chose the laziest way instead of the traditional way to spell my name!"Shawn sneered.

"Veronica was always calling out my spelling and telling me to drink from glasses instead of cartons," Chet's Ghost fumed.

"Every single one of my family and friends who'd so much as caught a glimpse of her adored Mama Lydia even before I met her and she's loved them back in spite of only a few of them treasuring education and learning like she always has . But you only thought of her a soulless stripper to toy with and put on your ash heap of overly trusting women. To think, I used feel sorry for your getting rejected but from now on I'm doing everything in my power to protect Maya , any future daughters, granddaughters and their friends from scum like you. ..!" Shawn seethed.

" You just came here to dump on me?" Chet's Ghost sputtered.

"Oh, no! My whole childhood I didn't know what I was or where I belonged but I'm here to tell you that I now know exactly! I'm Katy's husband, Maya's father and my future twins' father, along with being a friend to Cory and many others! Now, I've ALSO found out that I'm Lydia Veronica Bolling's son- someone to be _proud_ of! And I AM capable of doing good and have DONE so -just like Cory, Topanga,the Matthewses, Angela, Mr. Feeny and Mr. Turner always knew I could do but I was so desperate for you and Virna to love me and do right by me that I rejected their knowledge of my true self for so long," Shawn sighed.

" Is that all?" Chet's Ghost yawned.

" No! You and Virna were like two halves of an ugly, abusive mask who treated everyone including me like jokes for your own kicks but this time I've got some punch lines!" Shawn declared.

"What do you mean? " Chet's Ghost gulped.

"First of all, you're going to quit appearing to me from now on and stay away from my Katy and my offspring forever or I'll haunt you!" Shawn taunted.

" You'll haunt me? Boy, you're alive while I'm a. .." Chet's Ghost declared.

" Oh, but I CAN! The last ten years the city dump has been edging closer to this spot in the cemetery and I've used my 'Net clout to keep the landfill away! But, not only will this be my very last visit to you, I'm **through** paying for this spot to get mowed & raked and,if anyone asks me, I'll pull no punches to my loved ones about how you and Virna REALLY were . So it would be wise of you to heed my warning shot and see if nature takes its course without my attempting to stop it. However, if you ever attempt to haunt or taunt any my loved ones again, I'll immediately urge the city to dump millions of tons of trash right on top of you and your tombstone will be buried forever with no one ever seeing it! " Shawn insisted.

"Shawnny- Boy, you wouldn't," Chet's Ghost sputtered.

" Too bad I have _enough_ of you in me to tip the scale to overrule what Mama Lydia would encourage me to do in this instance," Shawn taunted.

"Anything else?" Chet's Ghost groaned.

"Just one thing. Cory's wife Topanga ,who you got to meet, is a lawyer and she and Senator Eric Matthews's aid T.J. Murphy uncovered that 60 of your 63 so-called marriages under your actual name and aliases were performed by one Rufus Krupp who'd been disbarred from being able to perform legal marriages in the State of Ohio before you even were born which means they never legally happened. You 'only' were married three times.." Shawn started to say as he held up three fingers.

"OK, but what does this. ..?" Chet's Ghost asked.

"Oh, but, as you used to say when you made a pitch, wait there's more! You see, you taunted Mama Lydia while she staggered into that trailer ready to drop me by saying that since her wedding to you happened three days before the divorce from Jack's mother Elaine McGinty was final it didn't count . It turns out that actually you two were married in Wheeling by a legal authority two days AFTER Elaine's legal divorce was final. Oh, and yes a marriage performed by a legal authority with one spouse using an alias IS legal as long as the other spouse does not consider it to have been fraudulent and since neither you nor Mama Lydia ever filed for divorce from each other before you had Rufus Krupp perform another sham with Virna that means Mama Lydia and not Virna is your legal widow and I'm no bastard! So, if you haunt Virna, tell her from me that Santa won't bring her Social Security survivor's benefits to her trailer in Honduras ever again!" Shawn taunted.

" She's likely latched onto someone else by now so she won't starve without it and your Mama Lydia don't need the . .." Chet's Ghost protested.

"Of course Mama Lydia doesn't need it. She's a perfectly able-bodied hard worker whose grandparents all lived into their 90's (even though her parents died years back in a car accident) and has a calling and a large number of friends . I and my family will take care of her should age ever overwhelm her. However; she's arranged it so that that refugee camp of Central American refugee women and children that's right next to Virna will now get the EXACT amount of monies from Social Security every month in your name," Shawn smirked.

" Are you done, Son?" Chet's Ghost groaned.

"Just a couple of more items. One is that, as soon as it can be arranged, I'm getting a new REAL Birth Certificate with Mama Lydia's name on it even though it's going to be headache to redo so much red tape and documents from your lying forgery. I read the paramedic report from 1980. When they got to me, they found me in bed with Mama Lydia's afterbirth and examined me while Virna lay still under the covers and said she was too 'bashful' and 'modest' to be examined while you claimed YOU had helped with my birth and could vouch she didn't need any treatment and they BOUGHT it. It must have been the best performance of Virna's life since she's as modest and bashful as a porcupine in a nudist colony! Oh, and Mama Lydia's gotten the testimony of Nanny Cheatham's grandson Jasper LaChance who actually witnessed my whole birth to back her up about it and your and Virna's shameful cruelty to her and Nanny Cheatham. Jasper LaChance has been a longtime Secret Service Agent looking out for Senator Eric AND a widower whose company Mama Lydia has been keeping lately, "Shawn taunted.

"Fine, let Virna stew about it if you like but. ." Chet's Ghost fumed.

"Before I leave you to where you belong forever, I just want to know why hated Mama Lydia so much and why you didn't want me to get a chance to better myself and made fun of my poems & photography and don't you dare try to spin it to something noble like you did saying you wanted better for me when I was born right before you dumped me on Jack to get me out of your hair or else you'll get millions of tons of garbage over your head!" Shawn seethed.

"Well, Jack's mom Elaine was already turning him into a stuck up brat by her new husband so if I exposed you to your Mama Lydia with them books,music and tea parties , you'd also wake up and look down on me like you are now and I couldn't have you think you could ever be better than me like my own daddy didn't want me to be better than him," Chet's Ghost grumbled.

"And THAT is why our branch of Hunters has always been hobbled NOT because we didn't get a fair shake , you 'had a disease' or lived in trailers but because you and your ilk hadn't wanted us to improve or do more than sponge off and use others instead of trying to do good and improve our lives by helping others. I'm breaking that by encouraging all MY kids to be the best they can be, to dream and to do good! "Shawn proclaimed.

"Come on! I wasn't all bad!" Chet's Ghost sputtered.

"True, there were a few good memories that I have which I will treasure but never again will I consider them the sum of your whole instead of exceptions to your abuse and neglect," Shawn admitted.

"I DID tell ya to go with that Katy and you're happy so .. ." Chet's Ghost scoffed.

"I was already considering that so no surprise I'd have wished you as a ghost to parrot that back to me- and even a broken clock is correct twice daily compared to you being right one time in 30-odd years," Shawn scoffed.

"But. ." Chet's Ghost started to say.

"One single credit doesn't erase some 30-odd years of debits and wrongs! No wonder I got nowhere fast for over a dozen years going by your otherwise useless alleged 'advice'! But I've got only myself to blame for wasting time clinging to that stupid, useless fantasy that of you being supposedly better in the next world than you ever were alive,"Shawn scoffed.

"Anything else?" Chet's Ghost scoffed.

"Yep! Angela used to get me to read classical literature and one was **Wuthering Heights**. I thought she was trying to warn me I was doomed to be Heathcliff if I wasn't careful,"Shawn recalled.

" Your onetime girlfriend was worried you'd become a comic strip _cat_?" Chet's Ghost laughed.

"No, in the original book, Heathcliff was a human orphan whose obsession for a selfish rich girl named Cathy doomed two generations and two families to untold misery. At Mama's Lydia's library, I read it again and saw that it was you who were Heathcliff and I was like the real unsung real hero Hareton Earnshaw- the heir to the long line of gentry landowners and the only one who in his family who was strong and powerful instead of sickly or frail but who Heathcliff treated like a flunky servant from boyhood and kept him ignorant of his real heritage and Hareton was so illiterate that he couldn't even read his namesake founding ancestor's name carved in stone above the front door! Well, Hareton was the ONLY one who genuinely loved and grieved for Heathcliff despite **all** that Heathcliff took from him. Does THAT sound familiar, Chet?" Shawn seethed.

"So did this Harry Toon stay bent out of shape over the cat's death?" Chet's Ghost snorted.

"Nice try but no! After the human Heathcliff's death, Hareton fell in love and married Heathcliff's ill-used, widowed daughter-in-law Cathy (the selfish girl's namesake nice daughter by her devoted husband) the only heir left to Heathcliff's fortune who taught him how to read and ,by that,Hareton **finally** got what he deserved! Katy was no heiress but she's inspired me to do good and make Mama Lydia proud even before I knew her ! Mama Lydia's invited me to follow HER Spiritual Guide and I think I'll do much better if I do so from now on. Instead of wallowing in my past, I'm making the most of my and my loved ones' _future_! So now that I've gotten all I need to get out, whether you ever existed as a ghost or it was all my imagination needing me to have conversations with you and this final catharsis, I'm DONE with you, Chet," Shawn proclaimed as he envisioned Chet's Ghost's face in cowardly shock for a moment before it instantly disappeared.

Shawn spat on and kicked Chet's tombstone one last time then gently set down Lydia's solitary dandelion back on top of the tombstone and finally walking out.

Afterwards, Shawn made his way out of the cemetery all the way back to the Philadephia Matthewses' house whistling all the traditional verses of 'Listen to the Mockingbird'- and then did the Three Stooges' altered version!

_A/N- No this is NOT the end. Still more to come (including Shawn and Katy's twins' birth). _


	16. Plays the Thing The World's a Stage

The Plays the Thing While The World's a Stage (Chapter Sixteen)

Philadelphia-Alan and Amy Matthews's Living Room, Sunday Afternoon (after Thanksgiving, 2016)

"Are you sure you don't want to join me and the Feenys for a round of Parcheesi in the kitchen before your Daddy, Nana and the Matthewses return?" Katy asked while popping her head in from the kitchen while Maya was sketching, on a side table ,a family seated around a table about to carve a turkey and Joshua was touching up ,on the main coffee table, the sketch for the super skyscraper he'd been working on for his NYU term project.

"No thanks, Mom. We're okay, "Maya sighed.

"Leave her be, Katy. The girl's just shy around older people. That's all," Lila was heard to call from the kitchen.

"Don't even. ..!" Maya hiss whispered to Joshua who looked like he was about to roll on the floor.

"Sweet, innocent _moi_? O Shy Girl," Joshua chortled.

"Cut it out, Joshua!" Maya fumed.

"Mrs. Feeny just gave you an out but everyone who's ever met you knows you're as shy as a crocodile at feeding time," Joshua laughed while catching his breath.

" I just don't feel like. ..that's all. ." Maya groaned.

"What did you do, Maya?" Joshua asked.

"I don't know what you're. …" Maya started to protest.

" When I was about five, Mr. and Mrs. Feeny were in their garden and Mr. Feeny was about to pour a glass of lemonade when. ..I recalled from my earliest memories Eric's goofy way of calling out 'FEE-HEE-NAY!' and popped my head over the fence and screamed the Feeny Call out!" Joshua recalled.

"Really? You did that?" Maya gulped.

"Yep. It startled Mr. Feeny so much he poured that entire pitcher of lemonade on Mrs. Feeny's lap!" Joshua sighed while shaking his head.

" You have a dark side, Uncle Boing! Never would have guessed!" Maya half-laughed.

"I heard Mr. Feeny sigh '_Et tu_, Youngest Matthews?'- then they told Mom and Dad who both yelled at me something fierce while Dad used his Index Finger of Doom . They not only made me apologize but insisted I had to make the Feenys a fresh pitcher of lemonade (under Mom's watchful eye) and bring it to them," Joshua recalled.

"Were you mad at them & your folks and did you resent them for being killjoys?" Maya asked.

"At first, I was .Then for a long time I could hardly look at our neighbors because I realized that I'd been a mean, little snot nose for no good reason instead of being cool or clever," Joshua sighed.

" You seem to have broken the ice since so what did you. ..?" Maya asked.

"I just talked to them as I did other people and let them talk to me the same. In time, I learned that they both are really smart, interesting worthwhile folks to know and being snotty to them just wasted their time- and cheated myself from knowing them," Joshua sighed.

"So, you're saying apologizing was that first step of that old thousand mile journey?" Maya asked.

"Yeah, it was- and I gotta fess that even when I DID the Feeny Call to startle him, I knew I was wrong and they didn't deserve it .It would have been better had I just taken my medicine straight away instead of only doing so to get Mom and Dad off my back. By any chance. ..?" Joshua asked.

"For eye candy, you're rather deep!" Maya laughed.

"You flatter me, O Shy One but. ." Joshua half-laughed.

"OK, I did something similar," Maya sighed.

"So what happened?" Joshua asked.

"Oh, Uncle Cory, Aunt Topanga and my future Daddy got this idea of digging the Feenys' garden up to search for a time capsule back in May of last year without even asking permission, Riley and I tagged along doing the same- and then Mr. Feeny shined his flashlight on Uncle Cory and Daddy. . ." Maya recalled.

"Really?! I would have thought Cory, Shawn and, especialy, Topanga would have been smarter than to have tried that," Joshua scoffed.

"Looking back, I would have to agree but you'd have to ask them why they jumped on the brain drain choo choo that time. Anyway, on the road trip from Manhattan to Philly, Uncle Cory and Daddy talked about how Uncle Eric would do the Feeny Call and imitated it. So, when Mr. Feeny shined that flashlight them them, Riley quickly whispered 'Maya, it would be fun and CUTE to do it'. So, rather than my telling her I wasn't interested, we DID a rendition of the Feeny Call adding weird cat sounds for girl power and later we tried it again when Mr. Feeny was about to marry Mom to Daddy," Maya confessed with a groan.

"It sounds like you've gotten the guilts over it," Joshua replied.

"Are you going to tell me that I should be too cool to apologize for being so clever and witty to a humorless fossil or are you going to tell me that I need to take my belated medicine for treating a kind old man like crud after sneaking onto and decimating all the hard work he'd put into his garden?" Maya asked.

"That's your call but which do you think would be better to do? Remember, if you sneak down from Morgan's room tonight to the living room couch, I won't turn you away," Joshua growled with raised eyebrows while he patted down the cushion next to him.

"Really? Well, Daddy would likely be camped out on the stair landing like the Korean DMZ if he THOUGHT we'd actually try to pull that off and take you down like a rottweiler. He says being a former player gives him all the tricks to outsmarting the current ones," Maya half-laughed.

"I didn't think it would hurt to ask," Joshua shrugged.

"OK, Uncle Boing. It would be better to take my medicine than to let them think I'm too shy and/or have my cowardice cheat myself from knowing them," Maya gulped as she stood up then walked into the kitchen.

"Atta woman! Joshua cheered.

"Did you decide to join us for Parcheesi after all?" Katy asked while seated at the kitchen table upon Maya's arrival.

"No, Mom. It's not that. Remember that night last May when Uncle Cory, Aunt Topanga and Daddy took me to Philly to dig for the time capsule on the Feenys' land?" Maya sighed.

"George, what's she talking about?" Lila asked.

"Oh, it was that week you were in Duluth with your sister Lola in the aftermath of her varicose vein surgery," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"Lila, your sister's name is Lola?" Katy asked.

"I was one of six sisters- Lala, Lela, Leila, me, Lola and Lula- and with one brother Irving, Jr.," Lila laughed.

"Her parents had an odd sense of humor," Mr. Feeny sighed while rolling his eyes..

" True- but that's gotten me through some tough times. Eric Matthews vaguely reminds me of Dad. Anyway, when I came back that Monday, the garden looked like it had been attacked by a joint rabbit and mole army!" Lila recalled.

"Yes, Lila. You actually wound up having had the better time dealing with Lola and her veins than had you stayed here and seen that happen," Mr. Feeny half-laughed.

"So you had no idea they were going to dig your yard, Mr. Feeny?" Katy asked.

"No. Not until the deed was done," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"And then,right after Mr. Feeny caught Daddy and Uncle Cory digging, Riley and I taunted Mr. Feeny with our rendition of the Feeny Call without so much as introducing ourselves or a hello- much less an apology beforehand, "Maya groaned.

"Maya, you mean to tell me that Uncle Cory, Aunt Topanga and Daddy did NOT get Mr. Feeny's express permission before the five of you started digging?" Katy fumed.

"No, Mom. We didn't," Maya sighed.

"Mr. Feeny, Lila, I would NEVER have let my Baby Girl go on that dig had I thought any of those adults would not even have attempted to ask for your permission before . .. and Maya, YOU knew better than to do that much less behave so despicably especially to an elder. .." Katy fumed.

"We believe you, Katy," Lila exclaimed as she patted Katy's shoulder.

"Mom, I know that but I now need to . .." Maya sighed.

"Oh, I'm not going to let this pass with any of you…" Katy boiled.

"Mom, before you say anything to the others, I really need to get this out to the Feenys. Please,"Maya gulped.

"Let the girl speak, Mrs. Hunter," Mr. Feeny insisted.

"Here it goes. . .Mr. Feeny, yes I knew it was wrong to dig up your garden without even asking your permission and it was just downright snotty of me to make the Feeny Call both times. It was somewhat like if someone had ripped apart a canvas from one of my paintings to use as a bandana- then attempted to tease me for my not being happy about it when catching them instead of apologizing to me for it," Maya sighed.

"It's fine, " Mr. Feeny sighed.

"It is NOT fine and I _apologize_ for all the above- especially since you and Mrs. Feeny haven't been less than kind to me, my folks, Nana, Uncle Cory, Aunt Topanga or Riley . Can we start over again?" Maya asked.

"What do you think, Lila?" Mr. Feeny asked.

" Well, between us through both our careers, we've had about a century of experience of young folks' fessing and there's a difference between those doing so only out of weaseling out from being caught and those apologizing who sincerely believe their actions actually cheated themselves," Lila pondered as she and Mr. Feeny each deeply looked into Maya's eyes then the two of them nodded.

"We appreciate your candor and ,moreover, value your growth in the last year. I must say that it would be good for us born in the 20th century's 3rd decade to have another bridge via someone who will spend almost all if not your entire life in the 21st century," Mr. Feeny pondered as Lila hugged Maya.

"And I'm proud of you,too, _Hijita _[ee-HEE-tah]! " Shawn exclaimed as he came up to hug Maya then Katy before Lydia, Alan and Amy came into the kitchen via the back door.

"When did you. .?" Maya asked.

"We heard the whole thing. So you actually came and dug up the Feenys' yard without. …" Alan started to fume as he shook his head and pointed his left index finger towards the Feeny yard.

"And then you didn't even bother to say hello to drop by. .." Amy sputtered while Alan joined her at glaring at Shawn.

"And you let Maya and our granddaughter be unwarrantedly rude to Mr. Feeny without so much as objecting?!" Alan fumed while Amy shook her head.

"Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, I'll get to you in a bit. Mr. and Mrs. Feeny, Maya's grown a great deal these past few months and I'd be an unworthy father to her and my future twins, an unworthy husband to Katy and an unworthy son to Mama if I don't do now what I know I should have done way back in May of last year," Shawn groaned.

"Go on, Mr. Hunter," Mr. Feeny sighed.

" Mr. Feeny, when I graduated Pennbrook and said I'd never forget you for never giving up on me, I meant it. I could hide behind a laundry list of excuses from my past as to why I did what I did but we both know that's would be just a waste of both our times.,Shawn cringed.

"Continue, Mr. Hunter, "Mr. Feeny added.

"I knew better than to do virtually everything I did that evening to you, Lila, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, Katy and myself. Failing to have not trespassed and vandalized your garden, I should have apologized like a man on the spot when caught instead of screaming like a twelve-year-old boy- regardless of Cory doing it. And I should have told Maya and Riley on the spot they were wrong to behave that way to you. You and Lila have been awesome to me, Katy, Maya and, now Mama and you deserve far better than what was done so I'll compensate you for all the repairs to our damage even if our own bond stays damaged from my actions," Shawn sighed.

"Mr. Hunter, the garden's completely healed so the only compensation I need is knowing that you HAVE become a real man and you've demonstrated that to me tonight and I AM proud of you reaching those conclusions so you can be the best father, son, husband and man possible to your loved ones and the world," Mr. Feeny beamed - as he and Lila hugged Shawn to Shawn's complete surprise.

"I can't speak for anyone else but I'm rather touched, Son. I guess a child led him, Maya," Lydia exclaimed as she hugged Shawn as well.

"Thanks, Nana!" Maya exclaimed.

"Thank you, Mama. Even though I know it would have been better had we been in each other's lives all along, in some ways I'm glad you got spared seeing me at my worse- unlike everyone else in this room. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, I can only speak for myself but I'm ashamed that I didn't at least check in with you myself even if Cory and Topanga couldn't have been bothered at the time," Shawn sighed.

"It's OK," Alan sighed.

"As you said when you were upset that night Cory and I got drunk as teens and totally blamed me for it, it is NOT okay and I DO apologize for it and want you to know that you, Mr. Feeny and Mr. Turner have been my real fathers and Mrs. Matthews has been my real mother all these years and I appreciate it and want to keep all of you in my family even with gaining Mama and the twins," Shawn gulped as he hugged both Alan and Amy.

" So, George, that's what happened to your garden the night me and Amy were at The Who concert and while Joshua was at his tae kwon do practice! You sure DID protect Shawn , Maya and my rotten second son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter!" Alan laughed.

" I gave the Hunters and your prodigal progeny enough rope to reel themselves in without need of your Index Finger of Doom, Alan, " Mr. Feeny laughed.

"Life's too short and you have too little time to spare for us to not treat you right," Shawn half-laughed.

"Now, Mr. Hunter. Just because I'm due to be a nonagenarian in another four months does not mean the Sword of Damocles dangles over me or Lila," Mr. Feeny scoffed.

"Sometimes I may be a nag but I'm not glue-factory ready, George!" Lila scoffed.

"You two have definitely been blessed with good health even though none of us are promised another day," Lydia exclaimed.

"That's IT! Mama, you're brilliant! This will be a day when we all get what's deserved," Shawn chortled as he hugged her.

"Shawn, what are you doing?" Katy asked as she saw Shawn frantically type on to his Smartphone.

"You've got that look, Daddy," Maya gulped.

" I meant what I said in doing all I can be to be a worthy man, husband and father to you and doing good instead of acting like a excuse-concocting, cowardly twelve-year-old but that doesn't mean Shawnzie is done being used for the _good_ ," Shawn smirked while flicked back his now-short side lock the same way with his right hand he had done it when it was long and he was a teen.

. . .

. .Two hours later. ..

"Tires screeching at 8 o'clock the Sunday of Thanksgiving Weekend? You wouldn't have had anything to do with that like you did our power getting cut off due to Cherry Bomb Day destroying our electric bill in the mailbox back in '93?"Alan asked looking at Shawn while Shawn, Katy, Alan, Amy, Lila were playing Trivial Pursuit in the kitchen and Mr. Feeny and Lydia were playing Parcheesi (and Joshua was back to finishing his architectural sketch while Maya was finishing her own sketch in the living room).

"What ever do you mean, Mr. Matthews?" Shawn smirked.

"Shawn, don't you think that. .?" Katy groaned as she and the others could hear frantic banging on the door next door and shouting.

"Perhaps we should. ." Lila started to say as she started standing up.

"Mom! Dad! Have you seen the…" Cory shouted at the Matthewses in the kitchen as he flung open the unlocked door.

"Cory. What. ..?" Amy started to ask.

"TOPANGA, RILEY, AUGGIE, THEY'RE HERE! Thank GOD we got to you in time!" Cory shouted as he gasped being out of breath from running .

"Mr. Feeny, why aren't you in bed? Why hasn't anyone called an ambulance for . .." Topanga gasped as she dragged Riley and Auggie into the Matthewses' kitchen with her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Matthews I'm as fit as a fiddle and. .." Mr. Feeny protested.

"Mr. Feeny, we're so sorry about all the rotten stuff we did to you down the years- especially trespassing and digging up your garden last year! Now it's too late to make amends," Cory bawled while hugging Mr. Feeny.

"Not exactly, Mr. Matthews," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"Oh, I should have insisted on asking for your permission to visit then dig instead of just letting the five of us have at it then. I knew better than that and, as a lawyer, I know we broke some laws in the process," Topanga sobbed.

"I just came for the ride, but I hate seeing you go, Grandpa," Auggie sniffed.

"He's your grandfather not I," Mr. Feeny sighed while pointing to Alan.

"OK, I hate seeing you go, Grandpa's grandpa," Auggie sniffed while Alan smirked and Mr. Feeny rolled his eyes.

"And I'm sorry for meanly teasing you like that after we damaged your garden. Don't die hating me!" Riley sobbed as she joined Cory and Topanga hugging Mr. Feeny.

"Now, Miss Matthews. I won't. It's not entirely your fault. After all, teaching basic manners, consideration and respect do not appear to have been your parents' primary goals in your upbringing," Mr. Feeny sniffed.

"Wait a minute! You seem a bit too coherent for someone with just hours to live!" Topanga fumed as she broke the hug and stood apart from her husband, son and daughter.

"Topanga, how can you SAY that?! Can't you see Mr. Feeny's got one foot in the grave?! We'll throw you the biggest funeral John Adams High ever witnessed and find Mrs. Feeny the best nursing home on Yelp!" Cory bawled.

"What?!" Lila protested.

"That's truly not necessary," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"Oh, it IS, Mr. Feeny! Shawnny, why aren't you bawling like a baby at Mr. Feeny's kicking the bucket? How can you be so heartless after texting us the news," Cory bawled.

"What news?" Shawn asked while frantically batting his eyes.

"Shawn!" Alan warned while Amy,Mr. Feeny, Lila, Katy and Lydia all joined at glaring at him.

"I just texted Cory suggesting to him that it would be good for him, Topanga and Riley to make their peace with Mr. Feeny over the Garden Dig since Mr. Feeny hasn't been promised another day!" Shawn smirked.

"Shawn, none of us are! Shame on you! You misused my Scriptural recall to toy with your friends' guilt," Lydia gasped.

"Mama, with all due respect to God, you, the Feenys, the Senior Matthewses, Katy and Maya, you're DAMNED RIGHT I did that! " Shawn fumed.

"How could you DO that to us, Shawn!" Cory fumed.

"Cory, tell me you didn't forward Shawn's text to Eric," Alan groaned as he did a face palm.

"I… ." Cory started to groan as he also did a face palm.

"I immediately texted T.J. to cover that so Eric won't be racing here!" Shawn explained.

"Good," Alan sighed in relief while Amy nodded.

"But you still toyed with our emotions to guilt us over Mr. Feeny. I ought to sue you for. .." Topanga fumed.

" And I could counter-sue Cory for sending me that message last year claiming to be dying just to get me to drop what I was doing here in Philly to make a round trip to Manhattan and go on that stupid dig next door!" Shawn fumed as he pointed to the Feenys' yard.

" Stupid dig?! You've gone too far, Shawn!" Cory fumed as he clenched his fists.

"Really, Cory? Keep in mind that, at the time, I believed I had no one else in the world in my life besides you, Topanga, Riley,Auggie, Maya and, to some degrees, the Matthewses and Katy, "Shawn boiled.

"So that's what this is? Payback for Cory's stunt way back when?" Topanga sputtered.

" No, you're not _getting_ it! There was no urgency whatsoever in that dig. What we did to the Feenys last year by trespassing on their land without even asking then digging up all the hard work he'd done on his garden was reprehensible and we treated your parents like they were nothing by not even attempting to visit them- despite ALL that the four of them have done for us down the years! " Shawn fumed.

"Now just a minute. .." Topanga sputtered.

"Maya showed me that avoiding the room elephant by not apologizing and owning our actions on the spot had just gotten us on the verge of drowning in elephant poop. You can dis me if you want. You three were all so sorry when you thought Mr. Feeny was dying. Does that STILL hold true?" Shawn fumed.

"Yes. Of course it does and I'm sorry we ignored you, Mom and Dad," Cory groaned.

"Thanks," Alan sighed.

"And, Mr. Feeny, I'm sorry that we did that and for my doing the Feeny Call with Maya instead of actually talking to you like a human being and a potential friend," Riley groaned.

"Apology accepted, Miss Matthews," Mr. Feeny replied.

" Yes, Mr. Feeny, Mom and Dad, I'm sorry we did what we did AND not apologizing sooner for it but, Mr. Feeny, you now owe **me and Cory **an apology for saying that we didn't teach Riley basic manners, consideration or respect. How dare you!"Topanga fumed.

"How dare I, Mrs. Matthews? Need I remind you that you said upon your graduation that you considered me to have been more of a father to than your own had been ? "Mr. Feeny sniffed.

"No, you need not remind me Mr. Feeny but. .." Topanga sputtered.

"And, as a lawyer, surely you know that for any claim to be considered valid, one must present evidence to bolster said argument," Mr. Feeny replied.

"But. .." Topanga tried say.

"Despite the fact that your daughter and her same aged friend who you were responsible while in your charge clearly demonstrated unwarranted taunting after decimating my property, neither you nor Mr. Matthews attempted to stop them, insisted on an on-the-spot apology or even uttered the word 'girls' to encourage them to at least rethink their most recent actions. So I ask you: are you able to do more than merely take umbrage over my dissenting viewpoint of your parenting of Miss Matthews?" Mr. Feeny fumed.

"Now, George. .." Lila tried to placate.

"As a matter of fact, I **do** have a rebuttal, Cory and I have made it a point to teach Riley manners, consideration and respect," Topanga fumed.

"Really, Topanga? You could have fooled me!" Katy scoffed.

"Oh, and your daughter is so perfect!" Topanga sneered.

"Which one of us has constantly claimed their daughter to be perfect and whose daughter was the one who actually gave the most spontaneous if not most sincere apology of all to Mr. Feeny?" Katy fumed.

"Wait a minute. ." Topanga gasped.

"Now Katy, George. Topanga and Cory _have_ been teaching Riley manners, consideration and respect- since last week! Right, Topanga?" Alan fumed while Amy nodded.

"Yes, Dad," Cory groaned while Topanga stood open-mouthed in shock while pointing to Katy, Alan, Mr. Feeny then Cory- then back and forth several times in a circle

"As much as I give you and the younger Mr. Matthews credit where it's due and believe in the phrase 'better late than never', I fear I cannot retroactively apply that to what happened last year,"Mr. Feeny groaned.

"But. .." Topanga gasped.

"For the last half-century I have witnessed basic manners and civility being increasingly devalued by generations of parents and others as irrelevant if not solely worthy of ridicule . Your in-laws and own parents resisted that trend but, in spite of their examples set before you, it appears that you and the younger Mr. Matthews gave little if any resistance to it," Mr. Feeny fumed.

"How dare you! We wanted Riley to have high self-esteem and. .." Topanga sputtered.

"How much self-respect can a person have if one has no manners or respect for others? I don't pretend that there was no unfairness or gaps in the applications beforehand . However, rather than attempt to actually rectify the injustices and gaps, instead manners and respect were eliminated as having value ,"Mr. Feeny groaned.

"What are you saying?" Topanga scoffed.

"Behold the bounty for all of no manners or civility! Instead of social media being used to spread knowledge and learning to the masses, it's more often used to spread ignorance and paranoia . Moreover, even those entrusted to leadership at our highest levels now believe that puerile,vile insults and ridicule is of infinitely more value than attempting to unite for the common good or attempting civility- much less actually governing all our citizenry," Mr. Feeny fumed as he threw up his hands.

"Are you finished, Mr. Feeny?Are you saying Riley epitomizes three generations not valuing manners or respect?" Topanga fumed.

"No, but ask yourself what your generation has won via eliminating civility and manners and has the prize been worth the _price_ and will it ever be for Miss Matthews's generation and those that follow hers? "Mr. Feeny sighed.

" Mr. George, let's keep in mind that **Illiad** and **Odyssey** as well as **Beowulf **started out as songs to keep stories, history and hope alive in times of chaos," Lydia proclaimed.

"I don't deny that but.. ." Mr. Feeny protested.

"Instead of cursing the darkness, we need to celebrate the lights that are _still_ there and keep whatever flickers of hope from burning out altogether and be thankful for those times when young folks actually own their past errors," Lydia insisted.

"Lydia, I cannot argue that and I most certainly** do** appreciate both Miss Matthews's and, especially, Miss Hunter's belated apologies even if I never share your belief in Harvard being the William and Mary of the North," Mr. Feeny half-laughed.

. . .

"You think we should go in and try to break the ice between Topanga,your mom, my dad and Mr. Feeny or just stay here in the living room and keep to our sketching?" Joshua asked.

" I think this is one time letting the others think we're too studious or shy would be the better option," Maya half-laughed.

. .

.

That night at the Matthewses- with Topanga and Katy in Morgan's former room and Shawn, Cory, Auggie and Joshua [the latter two in sleeping bags on the floor] in the boys' room (and Alan and Amy in their own) while Maya, Riley and Lydia were in the Feenys' guest quarters, Cory awoke.

"Shawnny, you hear that?" Cory whispered.

"It's after two a.m., Cor," Shawn sighed.

" I know. Don't worry about Topanga. She'll cool down eventually,"Cory whispered.

"I wasn't but I'm going to have to take my medicine with Katy over the Feeny Dig for some time," Shawn sighed.

"Well, Topanga was none too happy to get called on her part,"Cory sighed.

"Thanks for waking me up to tell me . .." Shawn whispered.

"Yeah but hear that?" Cory whispered.

"A dog barking?" Shawn whispered.

"Yeah, remember when you heard one in this room back in '95? You said the stray loved being free while I said he wanted a home?"Cory recalled.

"Cory, I think that puppy's long since gone to doggie heaven and it's a different . …" Shawn whispered.

"But do you still think that's why the stray barked?" Cory asked.

" I think the stray wanted his own mother back instead of the rejecting bitch his sire claimed had whelped him and was sad his real mother wasn't around, " Shawn half-laughed/half-whispered.

"And now?" Cory asked.

"The stray's going to be happy his mother welcomes him back even if she's got a Westminster pedigree and he's a junk yard dog! Goodnight," Shawn whispered.

"So you made peace with Chet? "Cory asked.

"I had to give up the last illusions I had of him and accept the reality he demonstrated every day of his life. That was SO tough. My goal's now to quit looking back and only look forward while replacing angst with indifference for him, "Shawn sighed.

"Is that why you felt the need to apologize to Mr. Feeny?" Cory asked.

" Maya showed me the way on that. We need to do more than just talk words, Cory. We owe that man and others like him to immortalize their lights in the darkness for the future like Mama said. There are too few Feenys and far too many Chets out there as it is," Shawn insisted.

"Never thought you'd say. ." Cory gulped.

"Well, I've had plenty of time to think things through," Shawn sighed.

"You're thinking about throwing his 90th Birthday Party?" Cory asked.

"That's a start, Cory," Shawn sighed.

"What else do you have.. .?" Cory asked before getting hit in the head with Joshua's pillow.

"Bro! Could you and Shawn talk about it in the morning! We all have long commutes back to Manhattan before 5 AM," Joshua fumed

"Yeah, Daddy, Uncle Shawn. I need my beauty sleep for Ava!" Auggie added.

"You two each kept me up more than one night in your day but Uncle Shawn and I will finish the convo another time," Cory half-laughed.

"My pillow, Cory?"Josh asked.

"Get it yourself, Baby Bro!" Cory laughed as he put it under his head.

At that Joshua leaped off the floor in his tae kwon do uniform to right on top of Cory's mattress and pinned Cory's head between his knees.

"No fair! You're younger than me with Dad's strength and your tae kwon do moves! Shawnny. ." Cory choked.

"Nope, not this time. I'm saving all my strength in case Joshua thinks he can pull a fast one on me trying to get to Maya!" Shawn laughed.

"Tickle monster!" Auggie giggled as he joined Josh and jumped onto Cory.

"Get him, Auggie!" Joshua laughed.

"Stop it!" Cory choked while laughing.

"Cory, Auggie, Joshua! We're trying to sleep!" Topanga shouted from Morgan's old room.

"Yeah- and I'm still mad at you five about the Feeny Dig!" Katy added

" Quiet NOW ,boys, or I'm coming in and no one wants that!" Alan fumed from his bedroom.

"Old times," Shawn and Cory mouthed to each to each other in the darkness while giggling into their pillows after Joshua took his pillow from Cory's head then he and Auggie quickly climbed off then quietly returned to their sleeping bags.

.

:

.

Warehouse, Manhattan - Monday One Week Later.

"Now Mr. Cory tells me that this room will be a music room…" Lydia (in an orange sweater with her cross necklace over dark green blouse, grey slacks and espadrilles) started to say as she led the suited and eye-shaded Agent LaChance by the arm towards one of the rooms.

"Do you believe they might teach the children about operas? Those helped my angst after Sally died," Agent LaChance considered.

" Mr. Jasper, when Mr. Cory and Shawn find the right House Parents, they'll decide that," Lydia explained.

"I suppose you are correct, Lydia but . ." Agent LaChance insisted.

"So why not take advantage of a moment of privacy and make the most of the moment?" Lydia cooed and laughed.

"Have you always liked the strong silent type, Lydia?" Agent La Chance asked as she stroked his face while he permitted himself a rare grin.

"A refreshing change from all the noise I've had to deal with, " Lydia laughed while he tentatively put his right arm on her right shoulder.

"There you are, Tin Man and Miss Dilly Dally!" Eric exclaimed out of breath.

"Duty calls, Lydia. Yes, Senator Matthews, Mr. Murphy?" Agent LaChance sighed as they each withdrew their arms from each other.

"We're sorry to disturb you. It can wait," T.J. sighed.

"No,No, Tommy! It can't!" Eric insisted.

"I don't want to hold any of you up from your duties, " Lydia protested.

"It's about putting together cleft chins, Miss Dilly Dally," Eric pleaded while grabbing onto Lydia's right arm.

"I'm not a plastic surgeon, Mr. Eric. .." Lydia protested.

"Eric means cleft sibs, specifically, estranged siblings but I don't think it's any of our place to. .." T.J. sighed.

"But Miss Dilly Dally didn't you see how Jack and Shawn hardly said a word to each other on Gobble Day?" Eric asked.

" Well, it's no doubt been a tough time for Jack and Shawn just wanted everyone else to welcome me," Lydia pondered.

"I'll grant that the elder Mr. Hunter did attempt civility towards you. It was the least he could do for you- considering your hospitality and helping to arrange a free day for him," Agent LaChance sniffed.

" If Jack doesn't appreciate what you, Shawn and Topanga managed to do for him in giving him a free day with a fantastic traditional meal in the middle of him serving his due sentence, he's soiling his own nest!" T. J. boiled.

" But Jack's too sad and if he's sad about Shawn, how can he be friends again with me?" Eric pleaded.

"Eric, how many times do I have to go over this? He tried to bribe your vote (a Federal crime) to put in a leaky, toxic pipeline and would have taken you down with him. He's no friend!" T.J. fumed.

"But he wasn't always like that. Wasn't he a cute elf?" Eric laughed.

" Just because I thought you were Santa as a boy doesn't mean I didn't know Jack was a rat in elf's clothes- even back then, " T.J. sniffed.

"See what I have to deal with?" Agent LaChance momentarily laughed while inching off his shades for a second.

" As much as I'd like Shawn to have a close bond with his brother, they're both grown men and I've barely met Jack," Lydia protested.

"Have you asked Shawn or Jack if they'd like bondage clothes?" Eric asked.

"Well, no, but. ." Lydia started to say.

"So what's stopping you? They'll say yes or they'll say no but you'll still be Shawn's mutter! " Eric insisted.

"But that would be a bit tricky. .." Lydia pondered.

"Lydia, the elder Mr. Hunter is due for his five hours community service in another ten minutes and perhaps you could ask the younger Mr. Hunter to appear here at that time. I must remove the Senator and Mr. Murphy from these premises before then to ensure safety," Agent LaChance explained while hugging Lydia's shoulders from behind.

"Very well, Jasper. I shall see what can be done, if it can be done," Lydia sighed while patting his right hand with hers.

"Thanks, Miss Dilly Dally! What did I tell you, Tommy?" Eric beamed as he hugged both Agent LaChance and Lydia.

"Senator Matthews, please!" Agent LaChance choked before Eric let go.

"Lydia, even though I respect both your and Eric's beliefs in attempting want to heal any Hunter schism, let the record show that I completely disagree with said beliefs,"T.J. seethed.

"But, Tommy…" Eric sputtered.

"And, Eric, it served Jack right for Rachel to dump him for Caleb Friar after he stole her from you! Even with Mr. Friar's early death, things turned out better for her than had she wed Jack," T.J. fumed.

"Tommy, Jack's sad. .." Eric pleaded.

"Agent LaChance said we need to go to ensure safety- and he's right. If Jack tried anything with either of us, I guarantee I'd give it **back** to him twice over- regardless of my runty appearance!" T.J. insisted as he clenched his fists while he Agent LaChance exited.

"Sorry, Miss Dilly Dally," Eric whispered as he trailed behind the other two.

. . .

"Good Mornin', Darlin'! It's Mama. Might you please bring some of that Brunswick stew from your icebox down to the Warehouse?. .. I promise to make you all some more in a wink but I can think of a few folks down here who could enjoy it for lunch more than the usual pizza, burgers or wings. . .You can? . ..Thanks, Shawn. Love you!" Lydia exclaimed into her Smartphone

. ..

. .  
"OK, this hallway has all this nasty, glued on carpet we need to scrape off then sand the glue off. Any questions?" Morgan asked Jack about 30 minutes later as she handed him a carpet scraper.

"Nah, I think I've got it! Doesn't look too complicated," Jack sniffed as he and Morgan put on knee pads .

"Lydia, what can we do for you?" Morgan asked.

" I hope you didn't bring any lunches today," Lydia pondered as she entered the room.

"No, we were going to get stuff from the food vendors in little while," Morgan replied as she pointed in the direction of the street.

"Well, I remembered how much you both liked my Brunswick stew and thought I might give you that for a treat!" Lydia exclaimed.

"OK, Miss Lydia," Jack replied.

"Jack, can't you show your brother's mother some more manners than that?" Morgan protested.

"Thank you for the stew, Miss Lydia. How's that, Morgan?" Jack sighed.

"Better. .." Morgan sighed.

" Oh don't thank me. .thank. .." Lydia exclaimed as Shawn showed up with a quart Mason jar of stew.

"What is HE doing here?" Shawn and Jack said at the very same time while pointing at each other.

" My Viking Cruise had a special sightseeing shore excursion here. What do you think, Shawn?" Jack fumed as he tugged at his prison uniform with his right hand.

" Mama! I know you mean well, but. .." Shawn fumed.

"Now, you both can be fine gents when you want so why not be that way with each other?" Lydia asked.

"What for? To get rejected yet again?" Jack sneered.

" You threw me out of your apartment after promising Dad to take care of me," Shawn fumed.

"Miss Lydia, I know you and Shawn found each other and want to believe he's perfect but let me tell you he's turned on me and everyone in his life who ever tried to help him," Jack fumed.

"That's not true!" Shawn protested.

"Oh, let me count the ways! Cory, Topanga, the Matthewses, Mr. Turner, Mr. Feeny, and, even the onetime love of his life, Angela Moore Crenshaw! Ask them!" Jack seethed.

"Shawn's said he's made mistakes but is trying to do right now!" Lydia pleaded.

"Oh, this'll sure be a notch on your Bible belt. Is THAT why you're butting in?" Jack sneered.

"Don't talk to Mama that way!" Shawn boiled.

"Now, Darlin', I've heard worse. As long as you two want to talk. ." Lydia pleaded.

"Yeah, you heard worse from Dad and Virna!" Shawn seethed.

" But, Shawn. ." Lydia pleaded.

" Congratulations, Jack! You actually rank with Dad and Virna. Want an ant poison cookie for that?" Shawn boiled.

"Listen to you get all righteous! The first words out of your mouth when I first saw you after all those years in Chubbie's was 'what are YOU doing here'? Then you got all huffy about me my 'turning my back on you and Dad' like you were a cult member!"Jack sneered.

"What?"Reverend Lydia asked while Shawn winced.

"What am I saying? Shawn wouldn't know about that. Wait he DOES know! Eric told me about the Centre! Shawn never did! See how important I've ranked?" Jack seethed.

"I told Mama about my time in Centre and it turns out that she's helping one of its few survivors make a new life for herself before she gets relocated by Witness Protection, " Shawn yelled.

"Goody, goody! Your mother ,who you've known all of a week and a half, ranks higher than I ever did! " Jack sneered.

" In what galaxy does a half-brother outrank a mother? Almost as soon as you thought I wouldn't worship you for slaying all my dragons, you got chummy with Eric. You were more friendly to Cory for being Eric's brother, Topanga for being Eric's brother's girlfriend then wife and even Angela for being Eric's brother's girlfriend's/wife's friend and/or Rachel's friend than you were to me for being your own brother! " Shawn seethed.

"They were always more grateful than you!" Jack boiled.

"Grateful? You barely uttered 'thanks' after Dad gave you that jacket when you dropped by the trailer after Chubbie's," Shawn seethed.

"So. ..?" Jack sputtered.

" Shouldn't _I_ be the one resenting Dad for that! First of all, I can count on one hand the number of times he was sober enough or cared enough to tell me to take a jacket to keep from getting cold- and secondly, it was MY jacket he gave you! " Shawn boiled.

"I never knew that," Jack protested.

"His jacket would have looked like a tent on you! You never knew anything!" Shawn sneered.

"I knew that you wouldn't have tried beating me up after I told the truth about Dad being an ugly, abusive drunk- if you hadn't known what I was saying was true! You kept up the lie he'd stayed sober up until just before Dad died," Jack boiled.

"No doubt it was tough for Shawn to have to face such an ugly truth, " Lydia pleaded.

" Oh, and Miss Lydia, did you know that your sweet, innocent, prodigal baby boy slammed his then-love Angela against my apartment door when she tried to lead him out to talk about his own drinking in private?" Jack boiled.

"Shawn?" Lydia gasped.

"Now you're trying to turn my own mother against me?!" Shawn shouted.

"You're trying to use her guilt over letting Dad and Virna raise you to . .." Jack shouted.

" ENOUGH! Boys, you will be STILL!" Lydia boiled.

"But. .." Jack and Shawn said at the very same time.

"I said, BE STILL!" Lydia shouted.

" Yes, ma'am," Jack and Shawn replied together.

" Now, I'm not here to decide who's right or wrong or who started it or even to tell you two not to redo Cain and Abel- and I can't make you like each other. But I can and WILL insist that you at least try to be civil to each other out of respect for other human beings- me included! " Lydia boiled.

" Did Cory put you up to this?" Shawn asked.

"No. Actually, it was Mr. Eric who did," Lydia replied.

"Eric? What does that nitwit turncoat sticky beak care about this anyway?" Jack sneered.

"If you must know, he can tell you're sad, Mr. Jack, and he doesn't think you can be happy until you two at least try to see if you can get along," Lydia insisted.

"Mama, I know you mean well but. .." Shawn started to say.

"I see that it's going to take more than one talk to undo decades of resentments but don't think I've surrendered. Oh and, Miss Morgan, you be sure enjoy that stew nice and hot from the microwave but then have these two bulls eat it COLD!" Lydia fumed as she stormed off.

"Now look what you've done!" Jack and Shawn said to each other at the very same time.

"What _I've_ done?"they replied in unison while pointing to each other to Morgan's eye rolls.

. . .

.

"Mama, I'm sorry those two rams had to have at it instead of try to listen to you!" Katy sighed later that morning at Topanga's.

" I can't say I'm entirely surprised and it's not the first squabble I've had to sort out," Lydia sighed as she was sitting on a stool opposite the coffee bar with Topanga standing on the other side while Katy was seated on a high stool next to Topanga.

" At the Farm?" Topanga asked.

"Yes, and with my own sisters. Rosalie and Charlotte have always gotten along like chalk and cheese," Lydia sighed.

"Maybe you should have Shawn and Jack do an exercise like we do to anticipate the opposing side's argument in court," Topanga pondered.

"How about a play?" Katy proposed.

" A play? But I'm not sure either Shawn or Jack have ever wanted to be performers or that we could reserve a theater to. ." Lydia pondered.

"There wouldn't need to be a theater. We could just use a one of our living rooms and just a few costumes," Katy pondered.

"It sounds as though you have a play in mind. Shakespeare? Neil Simon? Truman Capote?" Topanga pondered.

"No. Something I wrote in high school. It would only take a few minutes to do the main sketch. You'd love it, Mama!" Katy insisted.

"I'm sure I would but …" Lydia considered.

"It's based on Pocahontas's life!" Katy beamed.

"Sounds marvelous, Darlin'!" Lydia insisted.

"Okay, so who would be Captain John Smith. Shawn or Jack?" Topanga pondered.

"Neither! And John Smith's not in this one. It's centered on a hypothetical last goodbye between Pocahontas, her father King Powhattan and her husband John Rolfe," Katy insisted.

"It sounds good enough in the sketch but if Shawn and Jack can barely stay civil, how will they rehearse much less perform it?" Topanga asked.

"That's where alternative cast members would come in handy with Jack and Shawn rehearsing with the alternates until they get their lines cold then getting thrown together on performance night," Katy explained.

"But what about Jack's sentence and. .." Lydia asked.

"We could have the alternate players rehearse with him during lunch breaks at the Warehouse when he's doing Community Service . At the rate Jack's going, he should be a free man by Christmas Day and THAT is when he'd be onstage with Shawn and Pocahontas," Topanga beamed.

"So who do you have in mind for Pocahontas? She'd have to be short and very young but be believable in being able to be the go-between between her Native American father and her English husband," Lydia pondered.

" I think I have an idea," Topanga offered.

. . .

"So you want me to play who while trying not to get upstaged by Pocahontas and who'd play Pocahontas?" Jack asked the next day at the Warehouse.

"We have some promising leads for you to play against, Mr. Jack. You will feel quite accomplished when you've finished taking your bows on your first night of freedom," Lydia pondered.

…

"Sure I'm in. Be kind of cool to be part of a non-Disney rendition of the story but no one would believe I'm Pocahontas," Shawn scoffed while fine tuning the design one of his clients' websites at Topanga's.

"You wouldn't be her, Gorgeous, but you'd have to shave the stubble off and be clean-shaven again until after Christmas," Katy insisted.

"But I just started growing it again after shaving it to do Veronica one last time to keep Maya safe," Shawn groaned.

"So, I get to stroke your nice smooth face again until New Year's then you can grow it back full in time for the twins in April! Please, Gorgeous?" Katy cooed.

"OK, if you think this'll knock Santa's socks off, I'll do it,Babe," Shawn laughed.

"You won't have to worry about socks. .." Katy laughed as she hugged him.

Over the rest of December Jack rehearsed with Harley and Riley at the Warehouse while Shawn rehearsed with Cory and Maya at Topanga's.

. ..

. .

Eric and Agent LaChance accepted Cory and Topanga's invite for Christmas Dinner.

"Do you think I'll do Pocahontas justice, Riley?" Maya asked as she put on her black wig. .and bowler hat over the rest of the costume at Riley's Bay Window.

" You'll be a wonderful Pocahontas and maybe even break some ice with Uncle Shawn and Uncle Jack in the process," Riley pondered.

" You know, I still haven't been introduced to him in all these months since Mom and Daddy got married," Maya sighed.

"No better time than Christmas!" Riley laughed.

" Too bad everyone else went out of town but at least our groundings and no phones from Thanksgiving Monday on are over!"

Maya laughed.

" Mrs. Friar and the Babineauxs are taking Lucas and Zay back for a Texas Christmas, the Smackles are all in Vienna for the Christmas Market and Farkle? I'm not sure," Riley sighed.

" I think he said something about some kind of training his father's supervising but I have no idea whether he'll wind up an android or what for that galactic viceroy deal, "Maya pondered.

"I guess we'll find out in the New Year,' Riley laughed.

. . .

"Uncle Eric!Miss Lydia " Auggie was heard to say as he opened the Front Door to Eric, Reverend Lydia and Agent LaChance before the former two hugged him.

"COUSIN AUGGIE!" Eric exclaimed as he ran into the house attired from with a large [fake] rabbit fur hat on his head and from chin to ankle in leather fringed, beaded buckskins with moccasins on his feet.

"Miss Lydia, Agent LaChance. Oh, Eric- My Brother, this play that's getting performed is ABOUT Native Americans not requiring their attire for the dress code," Cory protested as he came into the room.

"But this is what our founders wore when they first settled St. Upidtown as French fur trappers. If Pocahontas and the first British settlers can be remembered, why not the French fur trappers and the Native Americans who built the first longhouse and sauna in St. Upidtown?" Eric insisted as he sat down on the floor crosslegged.

" I tried to talk the Senator out of. .." Agent La Chance sighed.

"And Tommy's seeing his Nelly Bean in Wichita while Scarecrow's taking Rachel back to Texas, " Eric groaned.

"Cheer up, Uncle Eric. You still have all of us!" Auggie insisted.

"And Jasper and I can take you back to Dandelion Fields to help us celebrate Christmas there, Mr. Eric!" Lydia exclaimed.

"It would have been nice for Mom and Dad to have joined us but they took Joshua on a ski trip to Quebec so they're all having fun this Christmas!" Cory reflected.

"And I guess the Feenys will just have to have a quiet Christmas with each other considering how LOUD we made their Thanksgiving," Katy related..

"Morgan, glad you could make it!" Topanga offered as she opened the door to Morgan and Jack Hunter.

"Jack here's been rehearsing his part for weeks and I had to see how it plays out Christmas," Morgan (in a red and green sweater and red slacks and boots) related as she and Topanga then she and Cory hugged.

" Get the play out of the way- then I'm free and won't need ANY of you!" Jack (exclaimed. in knee-length pantaloons, grey knee high socks, boots and an Elizabethan military collared uniform shirt).

"Now, remember Pocohontas is only your wife while you're performing, " Cory warned.

"Relax, Cory. Riley will be fine," Jack scoffed.

"Uncle Jack?" Maya gulped as she came out from Riley's Bay Window in black wig, bowler hat, a ruffled collar, green blouse, ankle-length Pilgrims' skirt and buckled black leather shoes.

"Jack, that's your niche Mayonnaisse Pinocchio!" Eric exclaimed.

"Huh?!" Jack asked.

"Maya Penelope and PLEASE, it's just Maya!" Maya groaned as she approached Jack to shake his hand.

"We met at the semi-formal. You're Riley's friend,too. Right?" Jack asked.

"That's right, Uncle Jack!" Maya exclaimed as she shook Jack's hand.

"And I'm Katy, your sister-in-law," Katy exclaimed as she hugged Jack.

"Whoa! You're really getting big there, Katy! So you've got Shawn's kids in there?" Jack laughed.

"Yep, and so far they haven't caused too much trouble," Katy laughed as she patted her enlarged abdomen.

"Wait til they're born!" Jack scoffed.

"Is this everyone?" Reverend Lydia asked.

"Almost," Cory replied.

"Miss Lydia. May I ask why are you here?" Jack asked.

"My daughter-in-law and granddaughter are here to perform and I can't resist a good play and it will be a nice quiet stop before we do the big Christmas production at the Farm!" Lydia replied.

"Is this an ambush? When does Harley get here?" Jack asked.

" Relax, I wrote this play . Maya gets to be Pocahontas and you are her husband John Rolfe- now where's Baby Thomas?" Katy asked.

"Right here, Aunt Katy!" Riley exclaimed as she brought out one of her childhood baby dolls wrapped up in a papoose carrier with beads and handed it to Maya.

"OK, it looks as though we're about ready! Places everyone!" Katy insisted.

Then Maya and Jack walked up to Living Room Bay Window with Katy standing in front of them.

"Presenting 'Farewells and New Worlds' by Katy Hart Hunter. The year is 1616 and Pocahontas called Rebecca, her husband John Rolfe and their baby son Thomas are about to sail to England from Virginia but not before some unfinished business," Katy explained.

"Do you think Baby Thomas will fare well in that giant canoe all the way across the Salt Ocean to your home world?" Maya/Pocahontas asked.

"I made it across to here so I think it should be safe for you two, Rebecca. Are you as excited to sail as you were to peek into our settlement when you were a girl?"Jack/John Rolfe asked.

"Your people have brought me things I could never have imagined existed when I first saw those three giant canoes and now I get to be a part of this land of wonder with you and our child," Maya/Pocahontas exclaimed while hugging the baby.

"Approaching the young couple is Pocohontas's father the king Powhatan!" Katy narrated.

From the Small Study behind them, Shawn emerged in full Powhatan regalia of a single feather headband, fake pearl necklaces, an apron-length patterned leather breechcloth and war paint on his bare chest, legs and arms while carrying a full-length wooden bow.

"What happened to Harley?" Jack asked.

"Stick the script!" Katy growled.

"Daughter, are you and my baby grandson ready for the journey to a land neither of us imagined ten years past?" Shawn/Powhatan asked while glaring at Jack/John Rolfe.

" Rebecca, could you tell me what your father is saying?" Jack/John Rolfe asked.

"Why should he expect me to speak _his_ language? He and his kind have come to MY land and have only learned a few words of OUR language- and why is he calling you that other name, Pocahontas?" Shawn/Powhatan asked.

" That's what my husband and his countrymen call me! It means ' she who binds' and I hope to bring peace to our peoples with my son belonging to both peoples," Maya/Pocahontas replied.

"So now you're going to the land on the other side of the Salt Ocean but why must you be covered up as though ready to be buried with your feet in shrimp traps?" Shawn/ Powhatan asked while pointing to Maya's attire with his right index finger and poking at her buckled shoes with his bare right big toe.

"This is what the women wear in my new land," Maya/Rebecca replied.

"Rebecca, can you tell your father that I love you and our son and will do everything in my power to take care of the two of you in my land while they treat you like the princess you are?" Jack/John Rolfe asked.

"Be sure to tell your husband that ever since your dear mother gave her life to give you life, you've been the favorite of all my many offspring and I won't rest until you and my grandson return from your husband's land," Shawn/Powhatan declared.

"Father, I know that and I'll do everything to celebrate our nation in my husband's land so that we may one day all walk together with my son a proud member of both nations! " Maya/ Pocahontas declared.

"You have been more brave and courageous from the start than any of my warriors. I only hope your new land honors that," Shawn/Powhatan insisted.

"They will. It will be going to a land I could never have even dreamed existed when I was a child but my new faith will give me strength. Have faith that you, I and Baby Thomas will meet again one day in this world or the next!" Maya/Pocahontas insisted as she started to cry.

" I don't believe in your new faith but I believe in _you_ and that belief will sustain me until we meet again!" Shawn/Powhattan declared as he patted Pocahontas/Maya's shoulder then held Baby Thomas's /the doll's face in his right hand and nodded before walking off.

"Come now, Rebecca! It's time for us to meet your New World!" Jack/John Rolfe declared as he took Maya/Pocahontas's right hand in his own as she held onto the doll with her left hand before he and Maya/Pocahontas walked off in the opposite direction.

"Pocahontas also called Rebecca and her son Thomas arrived in England a month later and were celebrated as emissaries from Virginia while embraced by her husband John Rolfe and his family. Despite the wonders of her alien new land and her new name and appearance, Pocohontas never lost sight of who she truly was and was a champion for her people to the end. They were due to return to Virginia in March, 1617 but Pocahontas took ill and died on the boat waiting for them to sail when she was only about 21. Her son Thomas would survive and, despite her father Powhatan's grief for his daughter, he took comfort in his grandson's life even though he was never to meet Thomas again. Thomas would return to Virginia as a grown man and live to 65 years of age having sired a single daughter named Jane who had died shortly after bearing her only son John Bolling whose line survives. Family may be composed of very differing members but those differences can be _beautiful_ if they're embraced instead of feared!"Katy declared as she concluded her narration to the applause of the Living Room.

. .

.

"You think I did right by our ancestor King Powhatan, Mama?" Shawn asked as he re-emerged in his usual green flannel shirt, jeans and boots a few minutes later.

"Yes, Darlin', I think so, and you did the play right,too!" Lydia declared as she hugged him.

"Not to mention you were more gorgeous than usual, Gorgeous!" Katy laughed as she hugged her husband.

"You think if I painted my legs and feet with that war paint, I could get away going sockless?" Shawn laughed.

"Shawn," Katy scoffed as her husband hugged her.

"As tempting as it would have been to have opted for the more comfortable Powhatan outfit for the rest of the evening, I somehow don't think it would have worked for the Christmas party," Shawn shrugged.

"Daddy, you did good!" Maya insisted as she took off her black wig and bowler hat.

"You did an excellent job as Pocahontas. I think she'd have been proud!"Shawn declared as he hugged Maya.

"Aren't you going to say anything to . .?" Maya asked as she pointed to Jack.

" Hello, Jack. You did a fairly good job as John Rolfe and you didn't blow the script too badly," Shawn laughed as he shook Jack's hand.

" Maya, I guess we should be thankful it's Christmas and your father has to be extra jolly," Jack laughed.

"Harley's here! " Auggie declared- as Harley entered the Matthewses' Front Door carrying a large bag- and wearing a Santa hat but still in his usual leather biker attire.

" So you all switched Powhatans on me with Shawn doing it for Harley?" Jack asked.

" Oh, I'm here as Santa today! But with one gift for you, Jack," Harley replied as he handed Jack the garment bag.

"My suits and wardrobe from before the sentencing! Thanks but I lost my apartment and now I'm. .." Jack groaned.

"Daddy, can we please?" Maya begged.

"Yes, Shawn- at least until the New Year!" Katy added.

"I guess you couldn't be more disastrous to my Apartment than the English were to Powhatan's lands and you DID give me shelter for a year but we're having twins in April so you'd need to. .." Shawn groaned.

"That won't be necessary! You see, Senator Eric delivered the board's approval of me being chosen as the future homeless children's home's House Father and with that new position comes a somewhat spacious loft apartment ready for me to move in today while I help with renovating the rest of the Warehouse for my future charges," Harley explained.

"Congratulations, Harley!" Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Katy all exclaimed in near unison as they hugged Harley.

"Yeah, good for you, Harley but that doesn't solve my. . " Jack sighed.

"Jack, here is the sublease and keys to my OLD efficiency apartment. It's not the quietest neighborhood but it's clean with power, water, Wi-Fi and they tell me it's in your budget," Harley explained as he handed Jack the lease.

"With your new budget, it would either be this place or a wet cardboard box so don't look a gift horse too hard, Jack!" Topanga insisted as she looked at the sublease agreement.

"You can stay at my Upper West Side Apartment until you and Harley get everything moved," Eric offered.

"He'll TAKE your offers! "Shawn declared as he banged Jack's shoulder.

"Shawn?" Katy gasped.

"Why are you doing this, Eric?" Jack asked.

"Well, you're my pal and I want you to be happy. .." Eric explained.

"But you busted me for bribing you. I know that it was Tommy's idea," Jack groaned.

"No, you were a bad boy who needed bad boy detention for hurting folks so that's why I came up with the wire and pressed charges but you're still my pal who needs to be happy instead of sad - and maybe one day you and Tommy can be pals again like you and Shawn are now!" Eric beamed.

"Pals? I don't think so," Jack scoffed.

" We've stayed on the wrong foot for too long, Jack, and staying stuck on keeping score over old scores has gotten both of us nowhere. Come on. We both like Katy, Maya,Cory, Topanga,Riley and Eric so why not see if we might actually like each other,too? "Shawn offered.

"Are you sure?" Jack asked.

"Why not? It's been great getting to know Mama this past month despite the two of us having very different attitudes and outlooks so why not see if we can get to be friends, too.?I'm finally happy and I don't want to go back to that other state I stayed in for too long so why not see if you can be happy, too?" Shawn offered.

"Believe it or not, the time I spent with Eric, Cory, Tommy, Rachel, Topanga, Angela and, yes, you in Philly was the best time I had in my life and I'm tired of being alone and tired of being mad at everyone -especially myself. Let's see if this holiday truce might last," Jack offered as he and Shawn hugged.

"Well, don't get too mushy! Jack, even though you only were there renovating to burn off Community Service, you gave those rooms in the Warehouse some of the best work I've seen and I've got quite a few projects around Manhattan and the Boroughs I could use your help with," Morgan offered.

"You mean. .?" Jack asked.

"I'm offering you a job on my staff! We just had one of my best plasterers move to Pittsburgh and we could all use a fresh start. Now, don't expect to kick back or not earn every dime of your salary because I work my crew as hard as I work myself on my jobs and, on the sites, I'm as hard-nosed as any boss out there. .." Morgan offered.

"I'll take it! Yes, it's been good helping others to build new things instead of just trying to compensate for my angst and loneliness by being a corporate bull dog with blinders on about innocents getting hurt," Jack offered.

"So you're not sore over Rachel? " Eric asked.

" She can love whoever she wants to love. So can you, Eric. I'm ready for all of us to be friends again and I've got someone else in my sites,"Jack beamed.

"Now, Jack! Just because I offered you a job doesn't mean I'm crushing on you. You're working every bit as hard as anyone else on my crew- and if you try to get fresh, you'll have to answer to my Dad, Cory, Eric, Shawn and Joshua if there's anything left after I'm finished with you," Morgan insisted.

"If you say so, Morgan!" Jack replied with a lilt.

"Well, congratulation, Jack. You seem to have come out of this like John Rolfe did!" Lydia declared.

"Not exactly, Miss Lydia. Ask Shawn where my mother Elaine, stepfather Jordan Connor and half-sister Nancy have been all these years," Jack sighed.

" Yes, it's true they never once visited the whole three years Jack was in Philly with me and the gang," Shawn sighed.

"And they haven't visited since. Yeah,Mom rescued me from drunken abusive Chet when I was a baby, Dad Connor gave me monies, an education and a foot into the corporate world and I AM grateful for that but they made it clear that their family was the three of them with me on the outside from the time Mom bore Nancy," Jack sighed.

"It sounds like what happened with my paternal onetime Hart grandmother. A year after Mom divorced Kermit, Gr. ..the other Mrs. Hart showed up and said I had to give back a rag doll she'd given me because it had been in her family for generations so since Mom divorced Kermit, I was no longer in her family! And Kermit put up zero resistance to Daddy wanting to adopt me, " Maya sighed.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Child. I'll be your grandmother until the day I die!" Lydia declared as she hugged Maya.

"I've known you are this whole wonderful month, Nana, but thanks for voicing it! I've even learned to like being called 'Child'," Maya laughed.

"Well, we can look to the future together and not give those folks any more space in our heads than they deserve!" Shawn laughed as he hugged Jack and Maya.

"Eric, you think you and Agent LaChance could keep me from being beaten up by Lucas Friar if he's still sore about what I said about Rachel and his dad?" Jack gulped.

"That sure wasn't your smartest move, Jack!" Eric laughed.

"No, but…"Jack sighed.

"Don't worry about it. He's in Texas. So how about sitting down and watching my puppet show with Cousin Auggie? "Eric beamed.

"Puppet show? I don't see any puppets," Jack scoffed.

"Silly! I'm wearing them. These are _moc_-puppets!" Eric laughed as he sat down then took off his moccasins and put them over his hands.

"'Moc-puppets'? "Jack asked.

"I'd have brought my sock-puppets except I'm not wearing socks and these are just as flexible!" Eric laughed as he 'mouthed' his dialogue with the moccasins over his hands.

"Cory?Shawn? Help!"Jack gulped as Eric started making puppet sounds to Auggie's delight and Jack's cringing.

"Welcome back, Jack!" Shawn laughed as he patted Jack's shoulder .

"Eric's being barefoot while making puppet shows of his socks or moccasins beats his former tradition of being totally naked while singing 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'" Cory laughed.

"Thanks, Bro. Thanks Cory," Jack gulped before everyone else joined him while watching Eric's moc-puppet show before Shawn, Katy and Maya went back to the Hunter Apartment, Eric took Jack back to his Upper West Side Apartment accompanied by Agent LaChance and Lydia. Then Agent LaChance dropped Lydia back at Dandelion Fields before returning to his post near Eric's Apartment. Morgan went back to her own apartment and finally Harley went back to his as he prepared to empty it to move to his larger loft Warehouse apartment.

Not one person left there not feeling extra hope, renewal and looking forward to new ties with new friends and family in the New Year.

Meantime, Shawn and Katy were starting on plans for a special 16th Birthday Treat for Maya in mid January.


	17. Metamorphoses and Growth

Metamorphoses and Growth (Chapter Seventeen)

Manhattan- Hunter Apartment, Wednesday, January 18,2017

Maya woke up to her alarm at 6:00 AM and was ready to rebury herself under her sheets and blankets but remembered what day it was- her 16th Birthday so she quickly got up and dressed herself, shoved her homework into her backpack then ran out of her room into the kitchen area where she discovered instead of either parent. .

"A note: ' Happy Birthday Baby Girl/_Hijita_/Child! It's a BIG one for all of us and we're sorry we can't be there to celebrate it with you this morning but we haven't forgotten and we'll meet you at the Greenwich Village Post Office at 4:30 PM for your gift! Love, Mom, Daddy and Nana' . Great, they've gotten me my own post box- just what I _always_ wanted. Well, it looks like Daddy fixed a bacon, oatmeal and orange juice breakfast and it's all still hot so I guess they just ran out minutes ago," Maya sighed to herself as she tried to console herself with the card.

. …

Abigail Adams High School, Hallway Outside Cory Matthews's Classroom 7AM.

"It's somewhat apt that it's cold and foggy outside. Just like my mood," Maya groaned.

"So they got you a post office box? What a bummer," Riley sighed.

"I know. I guess it's more practical than that Chia pet Uncle Eric got you that time for your birthday," Maya groaned.

" No, it was actually my Aunt Nebula (Mom's sister) who got me that one. Uncle Eric's present was a Chia training and obedience manual, "Riley sighed.

"Oh, yeah! Now I remember. He actually tried to teach it to fetch and roll over," Maya chuckled.

" Here's a card for you, Maya!" Riley tried to enthuse.

" That's a nice card. Thanks, Riley," Maya sighed as she looked at it as she barely glanced at it.

" I'm sorry but I couldn't get you much of anything else at this time and. ." Riley groaned.

"It's okay. Truly. I guess everyone thinks I've outgrown birthdays," Maya sighed.

" Is Mr. Matthews's door still locked?" Zay asked.

" Yep, I'd try to pull it open but I'm afraid I'd break the hinges and you know how Farkle got upset the last time I did that," Lucas groaned.

"Yeah, he always cringes when you or, lately, his father does some kind of feat of strength. Poor little guy," Zay laughed.

" Where IS Farkle anyway?"Maya asked.

"You know he's been on that extended Minkus training program, Maya!" Zay recalled.

"But it's been almost a month. Haven't you heard anything, Isadora?" Riley asked.

"No, not a peep since we let out for Christmas. I hate to think he's abandoned us altogether," Isadora sighed.

"I don't think he's abandoned us," Riley tried to enthuse.

"But where oh where is my Significant Other? I'd hate to think he's been transformed into an android or automaton," Isadora sniffed.

"Do you think Mr. Minkus would do that to his own son?" Zay asked.

"Remember how everyone wondered if he might be a clone,robot or something and it took some time for him to cough up his birth certificate? "Lucas recalled.

"Just when we were getting to know him as human, "Zay sighed.

"I guess we need to get used to be abandoned again. I thought Christmas was going to herald a new era of I everyone being chummy and close but . ..where is Mr. Matthews anyway?" Maya asked.

" He was at the table at breakfast but I haven't seen him since," Riley sighed.

" He somehow ditched you on the way here?" Zay gulped.

"Yeah, it looks like. .." Riley sighed.

"WRONG! Riley! I'm right here but I had to okay everything with Principal Williams," Cory exclaimed with brief case in hand.

"What did you have to okay, Mr. Matthews?" Riley asked.

"In honor of it being Maya's Birthday AND because we have been honored to be witnesses to a special metamorphosis, we're having class in the Gym!" Cory exclaimed.

"In the gym?" Billy Ross scoffed.

" Mr. Matthews, I'm an artist, singer and composer- not a jockette," Maya scoffed.

"You'll want to be treated to THIS one. Everyone will. Since everyone's now here. Follow me to the gym- and Happy Birthday, Maya!" Cory exclaimed.

"Thanks, Mr. Matthews," Maya tried to enthuse but was still in blah mood.

. .

"So what do you have at . .. FARKLE?! Is that you?!" Maya gulped as she and the others entered the gym and saw Farkle -but not as they recalled him just a month prior.

Farkle was attired in tomato red gym shorts and a sky blue t-shirt and barefoot but that it wasn't his atypically casual attire that got everyone startled.

"Farkle! You're as TALL as me and you've even gained some muscle tone!" Lucas gulped as he stood next to Farkle.

"Yep! This is the result of Father's metamorphosis program. I agreed to it so I could do more to help you and all my other friends," Farkle insisted as he stood next to Lucas and brushed his right hand over both the tops of their noggins to compare their height.

"You're voice is deeper,too," Zay gulped.

"Do more? What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"Well, until now I've only been able to help everyone through scientific and intellectual capacities as well as being the class clown but now not only will I not be a burden to anyone from a lack of physical prowess but I will also be your protector!" Farkle insisted as he raised himself on his toes.

"Protector," Zay laughed.

"Yeah, you have more muscle tone than before, which was none, but you're nowhere close to being as strong as me," Lucas laughed.

"Well, no one can say you're a nothing now," Billy Ross laughed as he gripped Farkle's right bicep then gulped.

"Glad you agree! Billy, if you and Lucas will each hug my torso with your arms as tight as you can, I'll give the chance to see what _I_ did during the rope climb back in 7th grade," Farkle insisted.

"But what.. ?" Billy asked.

"Just do it! He's going to show how much resistance he can now give if we use all our combined strength to hold him down," Lucas laughed as he hugged Farkle's torso on the left side.

"OK, "Billy gulped as he got on Farkle's right side.

"Now whatever you do. Don't let go!" Farkle insisted.

"Let go? What do you. .." Lucas started to ask.

"On the count of three.. .1, 2 . LAUNCH" Farkle shouted then actually leaped UP . ..with both Lucas and Billy clinging to his torso for dear life before he clutched with both hands an overhead steel beam 35 feet above the gym floor while everyone else in the gym screamed in shock over what they witnessed.

"F-f-fark F-farkle?" Cory gulped.

"G-get us d-down,F-f-farkle," Lucas stuttered.

"In due time!" Farkle shouted as he started to swing on the beam.

"Quick! Call the Fire Department! Get a ladder!" Cory gulped.

"Don't call them, Mr. Matthews. I've got this. I won't let anyone get injured!" Farkle shouted.

"But how?" Cory gasped.

" Y-yeah? HOW?!" Billy gulped.

"You think someone who's shown he's capable of leaping five times the Guiness Record for a free standing jump _while_ carrying more than **double** his bodyweight won't have this under control?" Farkle laughed.

"He's pulling himself up but can he get the others ..?" Isadora asked in a panic.

"No, he's CHINNING himself. . . .twenty reps. Now he's chinning himself with each arm!" Maya gulped as she witnessed Farkle due these unbelievably physically challenging stunts with apparent ease.

"So how are you planning to get down?" Isadora shouted.

"Like this! " Farkle shouted as he let go and jumped DOWN landing on his feet.

"NO!" the whole room shouted then covered their eyes.

They opened them half a second later expecting each but especially Farkle to be a broken, battered pile of bones.

" H-he braced our whole combined body weights with his feet and landed on them," Lucas gulped as he and Billy let go their death grips of Farkle's torso.

"Are you okay, Lucas, Billy. .. Farkle?" Riley gulped.

"Y-yeah,"Billy gulped.

" We didn't feel the slightest jar landing. Farkle absorbed ALL our combined body weight with his feet and . .." Lucas shuddered.

"Toes, metatarsal bones, ankles _et cetera_ all perfectly intact! "Farkle beamed as he bounced on his toes a couple of times- six to ten feet into the air with each bounce.

"Are you certain you don't need to see the school nurse for an X-ray or C.A.T. scan?" Isadora asked.

"Nope! They'd be useless since my cellular structure is now too dense for any kind of rays or radiation to penetrate it," Farkle shrugged.

"Farkle, you sure have demonstrated to the class perhaps the ultimate metamorphosis. Care to explain HOW you've become likely the strongest boy in . ..?" Cory gulped.

"The universe?" Riley gulped.

"Nah, just the 2nd strongest bipedal life form in the known galaxy," Farkle shrugged.

"Let me take a wild guess as to who's Numero Uno!" Cory gulped.

" Yep, Father! His and my physiognomy both were capable of fast growth spurts which he somewhat accelerated in my case AND he used a special set of exercises and therapies that are effective with only with our own sets DNA to transform our anatomies into virtually invincible physiques,"Farkle explained.

"So, that's why you are in gymnastic attire instead of your usual school attire," Isadora pondered.

"Yes, I needed to demonstrate to everyone that it was **me** and not any gadgets, devises or even shoes that has made this possible," Farkle laughed.

"Woah! The two of you will be unstoppable!" Lucas gulped.

"That's not why I agreed to Father's request. I want to be able to prove I could transform my body as much as my brain for the sake of my friends' protection and safety. Also, I knew Father needs me as an ameliorating counterpart to keep his natural megalomaniacal tendencies at bay- and I wanted to give you a 16th Birthday Present you'd never forget, Maya!" Farkle explained.

"You sure did that! Welcome back, Farkle!" Maya exclaimed as she hugged him.

" You didn't need to change, Buddy," Lucas offered.

"I know but I just wanted to be the best Farkle I could be just like Isadora's the best Isadora she can be!"Farkle offered as he hugged Isadora.

"Oh, Significant Other! Forgive my emotional overdrive but I can't imagine ever swooning for any other besides you after these demonstrations," Isadora swooned as she hugged back.

"Darn it," Lucas replied with a snap of his fingers.

"Way to go getting so strong as to be able to leap 30 feet into the air with two guys leaning on you!" Billy laughed.

"Actually, I had to tone it down a bit to make sure I didn't crash through the roof so _your_ skulls and bone structures wouldn't have been damaged in the process," Farkle shrugged as he picked up a 30 pound solid metal kettlebell- then compacted it to half its original width by crushing it between his hands.

"F-far-k-kle?!"Cory gulped.

"Tell Mrs. Matthews thank to thank her for teaching me how to knead dough. That skill comes in handy!" Farkle laughed- as he then stretched the kettlebell to about twice it's original width by pulling it.

"You sure are nowhere near as strong as I am- you must be thousands of times **stronger**!" Lucas gulped.

"So, now I'm the sidekick's sidekick. Why not?" Zay laughed.

"Well, get dressed so we can go back to the classroom to discuss metamorphosis in more detail," Cory laughed.

. ..

. .

"Are you sure none of you can join me at the DMV after school?" Maya asked.

"No, we all have things we can't put off but we look forward to hearing about it after you've finished," Riley beamed.

At about 4:15 Maya came back to the Hunter Apartment with her new Driver's License in hand.

"Mom! Daddy! I DID it . You're still not here and . .another text reminding me to come to the Post Office in 15 minutes. So far, apart from Farkle getting to be SuperFarkle, what a sucky birthday it's been," Maya fumed as she dropped off her book bag.

. .

At about 4:25 Maya was outside the Greenwich Village Post Office in a rarther foul mood.

"What's wrong, Maya?" Isadora asked as she seemed happen upon her while walking into the Post Office.

" I thought things were going to change with Daddy marrying Mom, her getting pregnant with his twins and then Nana coming into the family but they've all neglected me on my birthday AGAIN!" Maya sniffed.

"How can you be so certain?" Isadora asked.

"Mom and Daddy just dashed out the door before I woke up and left me a note saying to come here to get my post office box. What do I need a box office box for?" Maya sniffed.

" Did they say so in so many words?" Isadora asked.

"No, but what else can you get at the Post Office?" Maya sniffed.

"Today can't be all bad. I mean, not only did Farkle become so totally unforgettable but you were due to get your Driver's License. How did that go?" Isadora asked.

" I didn't really want to get one but Daddy said I should have that skill for an emergency, despite the fact that Daddy has to park HIS car in a garage three blocks away from our apartment, so I did it," Maya sighed.

"That's a good thing!" Isadora exclaimed.

"Look at this picture! It's UGLY but they said I had to keep it or go back in line all over again," "Maya fumed as she took out her Temporary License (the Permanent one due to be mailed in two weeks) and displayed her photo.

"If I do say myself, you truly cannot take an unappealing photograph but what an odd facial expression," Isadora pondered.

"When they were about to take the picture, the photographer asked where I found my rummage sale reject clothes so I cursed him out and THAT is when he snapped the photo," Maya groaned.

"It's still a viable photograph and you ARE a licensed driver so those are positive things to come out of today," Isadora pondered.

"What's the point of getting a post office box anyway? And what's the worst Mom and Daddy can do- yell at me for not getting one?" Maya fumed as she started to walk away from the Post Office Front Door.

"Even if it isn't what you may have wanted, a gift is better than no acknowledgement whatsoever so come inside!" Isadora insisted as she grabbed Maya's right hand and led her in.

"Fine, I'll get it over with," Maya sighed.

So the two of them walked inside.

"Here's the number the Post Office texted me #456. I still don't see why. .." Maya groaned as Isadora led her inside to the main waiting room.

"Number 455 - Report to the Special Parcel Office," the loudspeaker droned.

"Smackle, you may be right. It could be something besides a post office box," Maya gulped.

"You think?" Isadora laughed.

"Number 456- Report to the Passport Office. ." the loudspeaker droned.

"Hunh, passport, " Maya scoffed as she barely crawled from her seat.

Then a second later.

"Passport?!" Maya gulped and ran towards that office where.

"Happy Birthday, Maya!" Katy, Shawn, Lydia, Jack, Morgan, Cory, Topanga, Riley, Auggie, Lucas, Rachel,Eric, T.J(Tommy), Agent LaChance , Farkle, Minkus, Jennifer Bassett Minkus, Zay, Mr. and Mrs. Babideaux,Isadora and Mr. and Mrs. Smackle all shouted at once with Shawn and Jack on ladders hoisting up a large 'Happy 16th Birthday, Maya!' banner.

"Oh, Mom! Daddy! Nana! Uncle Jack! Thanks for this passport but what. ..?" Maya gulped while crying happy tears.

"Well, we know we were tough on all of you kids from Thanksgiving Monday until Christmas Eve but all of you WERE truant as well as put yourselves at risk for being arrested, seriously hurt or even killed so we had to come down on you hard with all that harsh curfew and no phones for that," Katy explained.

"Yes, Mom, we know," Maya groaned.

"However; Maya you DID risk all that to reunite me with Mama despite my toxic, self-destructive pessimism cheating me out of that possibility for far too long and all your friends risked their safety not just for to try to heal our hearts but to keep you safe and I said I'd be in your debt so. .." Shawn explained.

"So, since your father just got his revised Birth Certificate and own Passport with his FACTUAL information and we made sure every other legal document he'd filled out right up to his marriage license and your adoption papers has been retroactively corrected and legit, NOW is the time for him and your mother to sign their consent for you to get this passport!" Topanga explained.

"Thanks but I doubt I have the funds to cross over to Niagara Falls, Ontario much less. .." Maya groaned.

Shawn and Jack climbed down from the ladders and then Shawn walked up to Maya.

"Niagara Falls is really cool but you're an artist so what better place to make your first international trip to than. ..?" Shawn started to ask.

"D-d-daddy?! You and Mom are sending me to PARIS?!" Maya gulped.

"Yep, the one in France instead of Texas or Hilton," Lucas laughed.

Maya actually squealed at that one.

"Oh, THANK YOU, Mom and Daddy! I can't BELIEVE it!" Maya shrieked about an octave higher than her usual pitch and hugged both her parents.

"Yes, ma'am, Child! You are going to see the City of Lights with your closest friends!" Lydia beamed as she hugged Maya while Riley, Farkle, Lucas, Zay and Isadora all nodded.

"Yes, our Spring Break is in April so we're sending all of you there to. .." Cory started to say.

"Yes, Yama! We're ALL going! " Riley squealed.

"WOW! Wait. .you're actually going to trust the six of us not to get into trouble overseas?" Maya asked.

"We're NOT that naïve like Kimberly Sussman's parents," Topanga laughed.

"Who?" Riley and Maya asked.

"Long story. But we've arranged for you six to stay at a trusted old friend's townhouse on the Champs Elysee," Cory added (not wanting to recount the details of Shawn and him having gotten drunk off of Alan's stolen whiskey as teens while at Kimberly Sussman's party with the Sussman parents nowhere to be found- then later getting arrested for peeing on a cop car to Alan and Amy's fury).

" Whose? " Maya asked.

" General Jared and Angela Moore Crenshaw's! " Topanga beamed.

"And since I had experience corralling your Uncles Jack and Eric even BEFORE I became the Friar ranch marm to Caleb, then Pappy Joe and Lucas, I'm coming along to make sure you mind the Crenshaws' and your folks' rules abroad," Rachel added.

"Even with us two guys living with her, Rachel was NEVER a pushover. Somewhat like Morgan having to deal with her three brothers," Jack laughed.

"So I got it in BOTH homes, " Eric recalled.

"You'd better believe it!" Morgan laughed.

"But we still can have lots of fun! I mean, it's PARIS with all kinds of cool stuff for everyone to see and do and now that Smartphones have Universal Translators at our finger tips, we'll have no language barriers!" Farkle insisted while starting to hug Maya.

"Careful, Son. You don't want to rupture vertebrae! " Minkus warned.

"Yes, Father. I'll be careful with Maya and Isadora and all other humans besides you," Farkle groaned.

"So we'll leave the three of you inside the Passport Office to fill out the Forms and take your picture! Then the Minkuses will fetch us on their helicopter to Dandelion Fields where we're having a celebration dinner for you and your friends, Child!" Lydia exclaimed as she hugged Maya then Shawn then Katy.

. ..

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Mom, with me being in Paris when. .?Maya asked about an hour later while everyone was at the Fields' Green Barn Café dining room at Dandelion Fields.

"Well, the twins should be here at the end of April but if they come any earlier, then we're arranging it with the airline that you can fly back on the first available transatlantic flight! " Katy explained.

"You sure are getting big, Mom," Maya exclaimed.

"Don't remind me, Baby Girl. I was so much smaller carrying you at this stage but there was only ONE of you," Katy sighed.

"But it hasn't cooled down Daddy's love for you any…" Maya scoffed.

"Maya, you can't tell what happens between a married . .." Katy sputtered.

"I'm happy to leave whatever you two do in your bedroom to yourselves . However just the way he looks into your eyes, kisses your cheek and clutches your hand- not to mention helping you up from chairs. As far as I can remember, you and Dad NEVER had what you and Daddy have," Maya beamed.

"That's so sweet, Baby Girl. I . .oh no. I was hoping to hold it in until he got back from his own pit stop," Katy sighed.

"Don't worry, Mom. Nana and I will help you on your feet and get you there in plenty of time!" Maya insisted.

"Katy? You sure you don't need me to. .?" Shawn asked as he returned from his pit stop then saw Maya and Lydia help Katy.

"No, Gorgeous. We got this. Just keep our places warm at the table,"Katy insisted as the three left as Shawn sat down.

. .

"Oh, Shawn. There you are. I was hoping to talk to you a bit. ." Jennifer Bassett Minkus insisted a few minute later.

"Katy should be back from the powder room before too long so you can work out the details about. .." Shawn scoffed as he started to rise on his feet.

"Shawn, you've been avoiding me and I want that to stop now!" Jennifer insisted- as she sat down in Katy's vacated seat.

" That's Katy's seat and I don't recall my giving you permission to sit there," Shawn fumed as he sat back down.

"You've given my husband and even Harley Keiner second chances so why not..?" Jennifer sniffed.

"OK, somehow you charmed Stuart to pick you above all other single women in the world to marry , managed to bear his son and not undo Stuart's positive effects on Farkle's character so I guess I have to give you some credit," Shawn scoffed.

"Shawn, you're being rude! Are you still sore about getting you tied to the boathouse?" Jennifer asked.

"Even though it's something I'd urge prosecution for if it had happened to anyone else-especially my offspring and friends, I'm actually not sore about that,"Shawn half-laughed.

"Really? Why?" Jennifer asked.

"Because from my epiphany about it, I got a few good years being committed to Angela until it was over but have been able to use that time to build on for my current blissful bond with Katy so I actually have to give you some credit," Shawn sighed.

"So why are you holding this grudge?" Jennifer asked.

"Because you not only insisted on my severing ties with my oldest and closest friend but you belittled and demeaned me for HAVING that bond with Cory- as if having a platonic friend was something to be ashamed of," Shawn fumed.

"You're right. I did, " Jennifer sighed.

"Was it because you were jealous of my giving anyone or anything else even a tiny bit of attention away from you?" Shawn snorted.

"No, not exactly! You see, I didn't really have any friends. ." Jennifer sighed.

"_You_ didn't have friends? But you were beautiful, rich teen queen bee with a killer wardrobe and drove a convertible," Shawn scoffed.

"You think that shallow stuff draws anything besides shallow folks?" Jennifer sighed.

"What about Dana and Libby? Don't tell me that I was just the common enemy for you all to be Avenging Angels against!" Shawn sneered.

" Remember Darth Vader in **Empire Strikes Back**?"Jennifer asked.

"Of course," Shawn scoffed.

"You think he had any friends?" Jennifer asked.

"No but Dana and Libby… " Shawn scoffed.

"Were like two Admiral Ozzels- as clumsy as they were STUPID!" Jennifer scoffed.

"Yeah, they were both soap bubble sharp at that," Shawn half-laughed.

"So, to be perfectly candid, I ENVIED what you had with Cory. Even though he knew you had all kinds of trouble from your father and stepmother, he actually _helped_ you instead of screaming into the night," Jennifer sighed.

"Wait a minute. You had trouble from your family?" Shawn asked.

"You think dysfunctional families only happen to Jerry Springer folks? "Jennifer asked.

"No, but you were treated like a princess with your own convertible. ." Shawn pondered.

"A princess who thought that all I had to do was join King Daddy in taunting Mother to reap rewards but then Daddy tried to insist I marry one of his business associates for some kind of conglomerate merger but I couldn't. He'd been divorced five times, was a cocaine fiend, and bragged about his love nests- even in front of me and Mother," Jennifer sighed.

"I never imagined I'd ever feel sorry for you but I actually do since it's unlike what happened to Mama way back when. She ran away and eventually found one of the worst possible husbands she could have- Chet Hunter who disavowed her for his shack up Virna then hid us from each other to pocket my welfare checks for booze and coffin nails," Shawn groaned.

"That's not exactly what happened to me. ." Jennifer gulped.

"You mean, you and Stuart. .?" Shawn gulped.

" Yes, Daddy cut me off from college then cancelled all my charge cards and threw me out of the house, and barred me from the country club and all the vacation homes so I went to see if I could find a scholarship to somehow give me enough stay in a dorm . Oh, as for Dana and Libby? Couldn't be bothered to so much as return my calls once I had no monies," Jennifer sighed.

"Bummer but so not surprised," Shawn groaned.

"Anyway, even though I admit that I hadn't considered him worth giving the time of day to before , it was good to see a familiar face from John Adams High at the scholarship office when I bumped into Stuart who had even less liquid funds left than me at the time but he actually convinced the scholarship board to finance his 'crazy' project. So I asked him to lunch to give me some sales tactics," Jennifer recounted.

"I'm sure he came up with some insane and intense pitches," Shawn pondered.

"Yes, but then I thought if I were to marry him, that would get Daddy to put all thought of having me marry that utter creep out of his head then Daddy would say he was sorry and I'd get the thing with Stuart annulled and I could go back to me being Daddy's spoiled princess forever so I proposed to Stuart," Jennifer recalled.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me but you two are still married so I guess your best laid plans. ." Shawn scoffed.

" There were several factors that turned those best laid plans askance. Did you ever see **Revenge of the Nerds**? " Jennifer asked.

"Yes, but. .." Shawn pondered.

"Remember when the stuck up cheerleader Betty Childs wound up having sex with the head nerd Lewis Skolnick then wound up falling in love with him due to their encounter?" "Jennifer asked.

"You mean. ..?" Shawn gulped.

"Yes! I actually fell in lust and in love with Stuart. I sure didn't expect to but, afterwards, I couldn't imagine not being Mrs. Stuart Minkus. Do you know what our songs are?" Jennifer giggled with a leer..

"Thomas Dolby's 'She Blinded Me with Science'?"Shawn laughed.

"No, Frankie Goes to Hollywood 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome' with the lines 'I will give you diamonds by the shower/ Love your body even when it's old' and the other is Police's 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' with the lines 'I will turn your face to alabaster/ Then you'll find your servant is your master/ Then you'll be wrapped around my finger!'- and that's exactly what's happened with me and Stuart," Jennifer laughed in a saucy tone.

"Never would have imagined that passion alone with. .." Shawn gulped.

"Stuart's appearance has only improved and even seems younger than when we married! Then I bore Farkle and that was even more of gamechanger," Jennifer exclaimed.

"No doubt I'm going to have that happen twice in April so how did it work for you?" Shawn pondered.

"Farkle's taught me to think outside my self more than anyone else in my life and someone to care about and ,by his example, has opened my mind to care about others like he has all along. Stuart has always said Farkle's better than either and both of us . In some ways ,Farkle has been OUR parent in teaching us,"Jennifer recounted.

"Is there anything else that might surprise me?" Shawn asked.

"About ten years ago, I discovered during an audit of Stuart's bookkeeping that Daddy and Mother's fortunes as well as his own parents' funds had, for very different reasons, had completely evaporated but Stuart actually has been supporting **all** of them in the styles they'd become accustomed to ever since - without telling any of them . This ,despite none of them (besides Mother) having anything to do with me, Stuart or Farkle. Despite my pleas to cut them off or show them up, Stuart's refused and has continued supporting them all . I suppose he doesn't want Farkle to believe Stuart would have allowed any of his grandparents starve regardless of their complete disdain for us and ingratitude towards him, but I can't help but love him all over again for that," Jennifer swooned.

"Love? Hmm, Riley once said that Farkle said you throw your ring at Stuart on a regular basis," Shawn scoffed.

"At but never making contact. You see all those years of growing up bad has had to come out somehow so about once a week I have a little spell and throw the big ring towards his vicinity but not the very first one Stuart gave me that I keep next to my heart!" Jennifer exclaimed as she took a chain from under her blouse to reveal. .a Cracker Jack ring inside a transparent capsule.

"Catching up, you two?" Minkus laughed as he took Jennifer's hand and kissed it.

" I suppose so, "Shawn gulped.

" I was just telling Shawn about the ring tosses,"Jennifer laughed.

" Oh, that! _Mí pasionaria _ throws it as close to my feet as possible but never makes contact. She's the ping-pong, dart and squash champion for our clubs and that's is a good way to practice. She could have easily hit me- had she wanted to. Although there was that one time her ring grazed the hairs of the upper knuckle of my right index toe," Minkus laughed as he took her hand and kissed it again.

"Stuart, I got distracted," Jennifer sighed.

" I know but then you kissed that toe so that more than made up for it!" Stuart laughed.

"Maybe I should get Katy to throw things at my feet so she can…" Shawn laughed as Katy came into view.

"Don't even go there, Gorgeous!" Katy scoffed as she sat down on the other side of Shawn while Shawn helped brace her.

" I'm very happy that we all married who we married . However, it's good to find out you _have_ changed for the better so thanks for your candor, Jennifer," Shawn exclaimed.

"We have children we think the world of who are great friends so we all do need to work together,"Jennifer admitted.

"Yes, we need to fine tune the details of the April in Paris trip for the six of them - to say nothing of Mr. Feeny's 90th Birthday Party Friday, March 31st! " Katy insisted.

"Since it's on a Friday so I think we should see about having John Adams High spiffied up for that fete to be thrown," Minkus pondered as he sat on the other side of Jennifer.

" Actually, I have somewhere else in mind a little closer to here, we could use for that venue," Shawn insisted as he pointed due south in the direction of Manhattan.

" Now why would Mr. and Mrs. Feeny ,to say nothing of Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, want to jaunt AWAY from Philly for his birthday party?" Jennifer scoffed.

" Don't worry. We'd make it VERY much worth the extra miles!" Shawn insisted.

"What do you have in mind?" Katy asked.

"I'll tell you!" Shawn exclaimed as he huddled around Katy and the Minkuses.

. .

"There's a sight I never thought I'd see. Our four parents all getting along! " Maya exclaimed.

"Yes, your birthday has proven to be one for the record books!" Farkle laughed.

"From it being what I thought was going to be my worst birthday to one of my best with this celebration and our Paris trip to look forward to, to your superhuman transformation to our parents all laughing and having fun. There sure have been quite a few metamorphoses today, Farkle!" Maya laughed.

So the rest of the evening, the Hunters, Matthewses, Babideauxes, Minkuses, Friars and Smacles as well as Eric, T.J(Tommy), Agent LaChance, Jack &Morgan- and even Joshua drove up to help Maya celebrate (under Shawn and Katy's watchful eyes) along with all the staff and residents of Dandelion Fields they had a great home cooked Southern meal that Lydia had helped prepare of barbecue, fried crabs, chicken salad, hush puppies, corn-on-the-cob, pimento cheese salad, tossed spinach salad with peach cobbler for dessert washed down with freshly made lemonade then dancing to wide variety of music as they celebrated Maya's 16th Birthday that Wednesday before Minkus flew all the Manhattan celebrators via his helicopter back in plenty of time to do homework/ get sleep for Thursday's upcoming school/workday.


	18. Feenys' Ultimate Gifts

The Feenys' Ultimate Gifts (Chapter Eighteen)

Friday,March 31,2017- Philadelphia, George and Lila Feenys' Living Room. 3 PM.

The Feenys and Elder Matthews were all seated around the main coffee table.

"Alan, don't undo that tie!" Amy (in a full-length emerald green satin evening gown with an emerald green wrap and emerald ear-rings with green open-toed high-heeled sandals while carrying an emerald green clutch bag) snapped her fingers,pointed then sighed as she saw Alan's fingers clutching the base of his neck and fingering the tie.

"Amy, George and Lila have seen me plenty of times without a tie on and it won't be hours until . ."Alan (in a black and white tuxedo and black patent leather shoes) groaned.

"George, it took me quite some time to get that collar stud of yours in. You'd better NOT try to take it out until it's all over," Lila (in a full-length indigo satin evening gown with an indigo wrap, a tourquoise necklace with indigo high heeled pumps) scoffed while carrying an indigo clutch bag.

"And if I do, need I remind you, _I'm_ the guest of honor," Mr. Feeny smirked.

"Well, need I remind you that I'm your **wife** and you don't want to chance having to live with the aftermath of others blaming me for your disheveled appearance, "Lila snapped.

"She gets me _every_ time with that," Mr. Feeny sighed.

"Just got a new text. Our ride should be here momentarily,"Amy exclaimed as she took out her Smartphone from her emerald green clutch bag.

"You think the limo won't be distracted by that noise?" Alan asked as the sound of helicopter blades soon became quite noticeable.

"I'll get the door," Lila exclaimed as she heard the front doorbell ring.

"It can't be any of the boys. They never used the front door," Amy laughed as she opened the Feeny Front Door.

"Mr. Minkus, what are you here with. ..?" Mr. Feeny asked as he saw Minkus in the doorway(also in a black tux and black patent leather shoes) accompanied by two unexpected companions.

"Mr. and Mrs. Feeny, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, I am here to momentarily transport you to our intended venue, "Minkus explained.

"In a _helicopter_?! But the steps and. . " Mr. Feeny sputtered.

"No worries. The Minkus Turbo Copter's ramp is fully automated with secure railings to ensure Mrs. Feeny's and your safety," Minkus bragged.

"Stuart, do you know who these. ..?" Alan gulped as he and Amy pointed to Minkus's associates.

"Of course I do. My Head of Security, Francis Albert Stecchino and his 2nd in command Joseph T. R. Epstein, "Minkus beamed as Frankie and Joey (also in tuxes and black patent leather shoes but with headsets, bulletproof vests and waist holsters) nodded.

"But they. .." Alan gulped.

"Mr. Matthews, I know all my employees' histories better than their own mothers do. I've made the best possible use of their talents for the good of my organization!" Minkus explained.

"Frankie, it looks like you've transferred your old belly onto your arms," Alan laughed.

"Thank you, Mr. Matthews! I can bench press 400 pounds!" Frankie bragged.

"400 pounds? Wow! That's quite impressive!" Alan exclaimed.

"Thank you, Mr. Matthews. It's nice to know that some folks are still impressed by that,"Frankie exclaimed while looking at Minkus who rolled his eyes.

"So you and Joey now work for Minkus International?" Amy asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Matthews. We are here to serve and protect those Mr. Minkus deems as needing our services," Frankie proclaimed as he flexed his biceps inside his tux sleeves.

"Yeah, yeah! We're real deemers! Heh! Heh!Heh!" Joey nervously laughed.

" Mr. Epstein, I must say I'm impressed by your being suited even if you've been unsuccessful in locating a barber in the last two decades ," Mr. Feeny sniffed.

"So, now that that's settled, we five will be departing," Minkus insisted -as he put out his arms to escort Lila and Amy to the helicopter.

"Wait, Mr. Minkus! Are you certain our talents and abilities aren't better suited for the venue instead of. ..?" Frankie gulped.

"Yeah! Yeah! Nothing's happening here but lots of folks in tuxes, evening gowns with jewels and platinum cards up there needing protection. Heh!Heh!Heh!" Joey added- as he pointed what he believed to be a northeastern direction.

"Stecchino, Epstein! How many times must I explain? With Farkle and myself now each able to take out legions of armed thugs, you'd be extraneous deadweights at best at the fete. Here you have the vital task of ensuring the Feenys' and Matthewses' properties stay protected and intact until their return," Minkus explained.

"Both our homes have electronic security monitors," Alan added.

"Security monitors? What a joke! Heh!Heh!Heh!" Joey nervously laughed.

" My security team knows how frivolous and useless electronic monitors are against the most determined of thieves and vandals," Minkus gloated.

"But, Mr. Minkus, it's not our fault that we're now but frail and fragile shadows compared to your and Master Minkus's infinite robustness. PLEASE!" Frankie broke down and sobbed while falling to his knees.

"On your feet, Stecchino! I didn't carry on like that when you, Joey and Harley sent my protractor on a one-way guided tour through the John Adams High sewage outflow- and that had been a Christmas present from my grandmother!" Minkus snapped- as he singlehandedly lifted Frankie from his kneeled position with his right hand entirely off the ground into the air with his arm fully extended before throwing Frankie six feet across the yard back on his own feet.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Minkus," Frankie sniffed.

"That's better! Now, what are you to do until your host families' return?"Minkus asked.

"We are to patrol the properties' exteriors except for mandatory meal and bathroom breaks and sleep inside only if the weather turns inclement- being assured to always rotate said breaks instead of taking any together. Report any trespassing or vandalism attempts to law enforcement while taking the perps out. Order take out for meals and have it put on the company account. And, if so much as a thimble or cheese curl goes missing or a pebble gets damaged from either residence, it will be the Minkus Phantom Zone for both of us!" Frankie and Joey droned in unison as Minkus nodded before Alan and Mr. Feeny handed over their house keys to Frankie and Joey.

"That's more like it! ," Minkus smirked.

"Stuart, don't you think you might have been slightly harsh on. .?" Amy asked.

"Mrs. Matthews, I pay my employees double the going rate," Minkus exclaimed.

"I've fully paid for my son's undergraduate Harvard education from this salary. Heh! Heh! Heh!" Joey added.

"Never would have seen that coming," Mr. Feeny half-laughed.

"I'll be sure to convey your best regards to Harley and any others inquiring of your absences from the fete while you're carrying out your duties!" Minkus exclaimed as he patted Frankie and Joey on the right facial cheeks with his right hand.

"Is there anything else we should know?" Lila asked.

"Not at this time, Mrs. Feeny. So shall we?" Minkus asked as he put his arms out to Amy and Lila then led the way to the helicopter while Alan and Mr. Feeny exited the Feeny house and Frankie locked the door behind them.

"Thanks, Stuart!" Lila beamed- from Minkus's right side.

" Stuart, I think you should know that I DID call your mother at your urging when Cory, Shawn and Ellis marched you up to Cory's room with them in the 6th grade around the time of the geography bee," Amy noted- from Minkus's left side.

"And what was her reaction, Mrs. Matthews?" Minkus asked.

" Just one word: 'So?' before hanging up," Amy sighed.

"Not surprising," Minkus sighed as he, Amy and Lila rode up the ramp to the helicopter interior.

" So how soon should we reach John Adams High from here?" Mr. Feeny asked as he and Alan rode up the ramp behind them.

"Oh, we'll arrive at our destination in twenty to thirty minutes at the maximum," Minkus explained as he settled into the pilot's seat.

"Why do I have the feeling this is going to be outside the Greater Philadephia Metropolitan Area?" Alan asked.

"Very good observation, Mr. Matthews," Minkus exclaimed as he pressed a button and shut the helicopter door behind them then the Minkus Turbo-Copter took off.

. .

.

"There the well-heeled go to have their fun with our onetime punching bag who's now the strongest if not richest man in the galaxy while we feeble plebes do mere drudgery," Frankie sighed while starting their first perimeter patrol of the Matthews' and Feenys' yards.

" Cheer up, Frankie! Mr. Minkus is now paying us to do what we used to get sentenced for doing , our kids are all going to the best universities and in another decade we'll be able to retire to those beachside cottages on Devil's Island! Heh! Heh! Heh!" Joey replied.

"Yes, it does have its compensations," Frankie admitted.

"So, Frankie, when Mr. Feeny noted my inability to locate barbers' establishments, do you think he was being sympathetic or could he have extended a right-elbowed commitment?" Joey asked.

. .

. .Manhattan at the Warehouse. .

Everything was freshly painted and scrubbed with a red carpet leading from the street to the Elephant Door with spotlights beaming on the path and with a small podium directly next to the red carpet. Above the Elephant Door exterior was a cloth hanging atop the stonework archway concealing the establishment's new name until the right time. Tuxedoed valet parkers directly from Minkus Vehicular Leases and Rentals were at the ready to take each and every invited guest's vehicle to a secure parking facility armed with facial recognition each vehicle's occupant. Virtually all the men and boy guests were in tuxedos and black, patent leather shoes. Virtually all the women and girl guests were in evening gowns, with matching wraps, high heeled pumps/sandals and clutch bags.

At the streetside podium the black tuxedoed, Joshua Matthews was the announcer- announcing each and every invited guest upon entry. Usually he kept to the guests' mundane, formal titles but he wasn't entirely above playing favorites. .

"Presenting Senator Eric Matthews, Mrs. Rachel Friar, Mr. Thomas Jonathan Murphy, Ms. Nell Custis, Mr. Jasper LaChance and Reverend Lydia Bolling. Senator Matthews of the Great State of New York is your Announcer's Diligent and .. Unique-Minded Eldest Brother," Joshua exclaimed as they exited their large minivan and handed the keys to the valet.

"That's really cool. Thanks, Joshers!" Eric (in his black tuxedo and black patent leather shoes) shouted as he walked the red carpet and gave a thumbs-up.

"Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Cory Matthews and their offspring, Riley and August. Master August Matthews is Your Announcer's Nephew- New York's Coolest 7-year-old, while his father Mr. Cory Matthews is your Announcer's Earnest if not as Visually Appealing Elder Brother,"Joshua exclaimed.

"Thanks, Uncle Joshie!" Auggie (in his own black tuxedo and black leather shoes) exclaimed.

"Josh ,getting smug about your looks makes you ugly!" Cory (in his own black tuxedo and patent leather shoes) fumed as he walked the red carpet.

"And why didn't you make any special notes about me or Riley- or even say my name!," Topanga (in her turquoise colored satin evening gown with matching high heeled sandals, wrap and clutch bag) fumed as she and Riley (in a blue satin evening gown but with flat heeled matching sandals, wrap and clutch bag also made their entrance.

"Presenting Mr. Jack Hunter and his date Ms. Morgan Matthews- your Announcer's Favorite Sister!" Joshua exclaimed.

" I'm not his date. Stop the shipping! We're business colleagues and I'm your ONLY sister!" Morgan (in gold colored satin evening gown with matching high heeled sandals, wrap and clutch bag) groaned.

"That's what she says!" Jack laughed in his black tuxedo, black patent leather shoes.

"Presenting the stunning, feisty, intelligent and talented, Ms. Maya Hunter and her too strict parents, Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Hunter but it sure looks like Mr. Hunter was NOT stodgy with Mrs. Hunter about eight months ago. Heh! Heh! Heh!" Joshua laughed.

"Thanks for the compliments, Boing!" Maya (in a sky blue satin evening hown with matching high heeled sandals, wrap and clutch bag) laughed as she walked in.

" Don't forget, when you were days old, I gave you my blessing when I technically could have crushed you and I'm STILL capable of doing both these things!" Shawn (in black tuxedo and black patent leather shoes)warned while supporting the 8-months pregnant with twins Katy who barely was able to squeeze out of their car's shotgun seat.

"Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Alan Matthews, your Announcer's late-in-life, albeit cool parents!" Joshua exclaimed.

"Watch your lip if you want us to keep up your tuition while we're trying to put together our retirement package! " Alan fumed.

"And the evening is still young, everyone! " Joshua laughed.

"You won't be forever!" Amy fumed.

"Now it is my privilege to present tonight's Guests of Honor Mr. and Mrs. George Feeny for whom we're here to celebrate his 90th Birthday! Let's hear it for them!" Joshua exclaimed.

.

..

In the back and center of the Great Hall was Main Table with the Feenys in the center next to the podium with a microphone with the Feeny, Bolander, Hunter and Minkus families on one side and the extended Matthews Family on the other side on the dais set slightly above all the other tables in the Great Hall of the former Warehouse. Each table was covered with a white linen tablecloth with white bone china plates, laser cut Waterford crystal drinking glasses, and freshly polished sterling silverware.

"How much longer before the meal and ceremony start?" Maya asked as they sat down at their sets of plateware, eating utensils and drinking glasses.

"About another thirty minutes. We need to make sure all the guests get settled at their tables," Shawn explained.

" I hope I can hold out that long," Katy (in a rather large magenta evening gown with matching accessories but with flat ballet slippers) groaned as she patted her hugely expanded abdomen.

"You don't mean. .." Shawn gulped as he stood up in place at the table.

"No, Gorgeous! I'm not having any kind of contractions or labor pains but ,these days with my two babies inside being as acrobatic as _you_ despite the limited space AND my bladder being pressed down, bathrooms need revolving doors," Katy groaned.

"Shawn, Katy, Maya! It's great seeing you again! Look at you, Girlfriend!How are you?" Angela Moore Crenshaw (in a maroon evening gown with matching accessories ) laughed as she came up to the table from behind and gave Katy a hug.

"These flats are the only shoes I can fit in, this is my first time away from bedrest in a week and my bladder seems as big as a pea but it's not for much longer," Katy half-laughed.

"I didn't expect you to accept our invitation seeing that you're living in Paris," Shawn exclaimed.

" Oh, I couldn't miss Mr. Feeny's 90th Birthday Party, Jared's folks live in Delaware AND ,since I'm going to open my house to Maya and her friends next month, I think I'd better get to know them a little bit in person so I have a better idea what's in store before hosting them!" Angela laughed.

"Thanks, Mrs. Crenshaw," Maya replied.

At that moment a tall African-American/Asian man with _café au lait_ pigmentation with black, wavy hair and somewhat slanted eyes about 40 years of age in a formal dress uniform walked up.

"Angela, is this your onetime boyfriend Shawn Hunter and his family?" General Jared Crenshaw asked.

"Yes, Jared. I'd like everyone to meet my husband, General Jared Crenshaw!" Angela exclaimed as she kissed him on the lips.

"Great to finally connect faces with names. Have you told them our news?" General Crenshaw asked.

"Oh, in another six months, we're having our OWN baby! " Angela squealed as she patted her abdomen.

"That's wonderful news!" Katy exclaimed as she turned around hugged Angela who leaned down.

"Isn't it? But I guess I have _stuff_ to look forward to," Angela half-laughed as she patted Katy on the shoulder.

"Shawn, I want to thank you for your pep talk to Angela almost two years ago! She needed your boost to give her that extra confidence!" General Crenshaw proclaimed as he shook Shawn's right hand with his own.

"Thank you, General," Shawn gulped.

"Please, I consider you a friend and I'd like all my adult friends to call me 'Jared'," General Crenshaw insisted.

"I'll try but it's not every day I meet a general- at least not since I've quit being a teen juvie!" Shawn laughed.

"Riley, Farkle, Lucas, Zay and Smackle, could you all come up here to meet our hosts in Paris?" Maya asked.

In a few moments all the above were at the Main Table and introduced themselves.

"This place is quite impressive. Your parents and friends sure put a great deal of work into it,"General Crenshaw proclaimed a few minutes later.

"We hope it's the ideal place for those homeless children! " Riley proclaimed.

"Would you like a tour, General?" Lucas asked.

"I'd be honored. We can catch up some more after the Ceremony! I'll meet you back at our own table, Angela," General Crenshaw insisted as he kissed her on the lips before he started to walk away.

"General Crenshaw, we're honored with your presence. Stuart Minkus, Farkle's father," Minkus proclaimed as he approached the table then saluted then put his hand to gently touch the exterior of the general's.

"Hmm, you're the first person I've seen who looks younger than their magazine cover shots and web pages," General Crenshaw noted.

" I get that a lot!" Minkus smirked then walked off while Shawn and Katy rolled their eyes.

"Well, my future guests have offered to give me a guided tour and I can't turn them down so you'll have to excuse me, ladies, Shawn," General Crenshaw insisted as he tipped his cap and started to walk off.

"We understand," Katy replied.

General Crenshaw stepped back and approached Shawn.

"Stuart and Farkle Minkus seem nice enough but I've never encountered limper handshakes," General Crenshaw whispered to Shawn.

"Jared, that's because if either of them attempted to actually shake your hand, you'd have an unrecognizable meat paw at the end of your wrist. Trust me on this, " Shawn whispered back as General Crenshaw left the table with Maya and her friends.

"Oh,no! I left my Smartphone with Mama," Katy sighed as she started to stand up while Shawn helped lift her.

" I can get it, Babe!" Shawn declared.

"She's just at the other end of the Main Table with Agent LaChance, Tommy, Nell, Eric and Rachel, I've got it. You're welcome to sit in my seat until I get back, Angela," Katy insisted as she started to walk towards the other end of the Main Table.

"Shawn, Rachel introduced me your lovely mother Miss Lydia! I'm glad you two have found each other," Angela proclaimed as she sat down.

"Yes, it's been an awesome four months despite her gentility and my ferality," Shawn laughed.

"I hope you don't cut your toenails at the table when eating at her place like you did at mine and at the Matthewses, "Angela noted.

"Of course not! I respect Mama's refinement so I always trim them before I pad my way to the table, "Shawn laughed.

"You know, since Jared and I have gotten the news about our impending little one, I've been wondering how my own mother could have carried me and then given me up," Angela pondered.

" I imagine so. The thought crossed my mind more than once after Katy and I found out our news but I never imagined that I'd gain a mother who's better than the mother I used to wish Virna would be, a great friend to Katy and an excellent instant Nana to Maya, " Shawn reflected.

"You and Katy wrote me that it was Maya who sought her out and reunited you two," Angela reflected.

"True ! She had more guts in taking a chance on what kind of mother Mama would be than me! You want Maya to seek out your own mother?" Shawn half-laughed.

"No, I just want to know if you think it would be better for my baby to have my mother in his or her life or whether you think I should protect my baby from someone who left Dad and me and not even seek her out," Angela sighed.

" That's something you and Jared will need to decide but I can tell you that I wasted too many years being afraid to seek out the truth about Mama so I could cling to some positive illusions about my Dad," Shawn sighed.

" I miss mine so much!" Angela sniffed.

"I know. Sometimes, I miss the illusions of mine and the few genuinely positive times and actions he did but, in the end ,it's been far better that I faced the cold, hard truth than to keep clinging to the fanciest lies," Shawn proclaimed.

"Do you think my Dad could have . . lied about . ..her?" Angela asked.

" I have no idea but I do know that you'd have a better chance to picture of the full truth if you at least listen to her side of what happened and weigh that against the late Colonel Moore's account. You and your future baby deserve nothing less than the truth! " Shawn proclaimed as he clutched her hand.

"Thank you, Shawn. Jared said about the same thing but Jared's parents Marvin and Nagako have always been in his life . You and I didn't have that growing up so _that's_ why I needed your boost on this, too," Angela insisted as she stood up then hugged Shawn's shoulders.

"Thanks. Not that it matters or that it's any of my business but isn't Nagako a Japanese name?" Shawn asked.

"Yes! Jared's father Marvin was an Army man from Delaware on an assignment to Japan so he and Nagako met while they were both touring the Osaka Castle," Angela explained.

"That's a beautiful,cool place. That baby is going to have so many fascinating stories about his or her ancestors," Shawn laughed.

"Maybe even some from his or her maternal grandmother,"Angela pondered.

"Possibly so, "Shawn replied.

"Before I go. There's something I've needed to do for a long time," Angela sighed.

"What is it?"Shawn asked.

"Remember when I heard that poem you wrote declaring your love for me after we'd broken up that time?" Angela sighed.

"I still feel the sting of that encounter when thinking about it," Shawn groaned.

"Well, I'm here to say that I'm SO sorry that I ever slapped you. You may have deserved me to verbally chew you out but you did NOT deserve me getting violent towards you," Angela groaned.

"I accept your apology and have long since forgiven you, Angela," Shawn insisted.

"That was one thing I worried I might do if I became a mother but I've learned to channel my anger in non-violent ways," Angela reflected.

"As have I- especially since I have hated having shoved you against Jack's door when you were just trying to help me with that drunken episode," Shawn confessed.

" As long as we've learned to treat our loved ones better since then than how we treated each other back then, that's what really counts. By the way, you never told me what Virna Cordini Hunter said in that letter to you beyond fessing that she wasn't your actual mother," Angela pondered.

"Angela, I just couldn't share that with you. It was so hateful and mean!" Shawn groaned.

" Shawn, judging from how quickly you tore it up, avoided my gaze then and how quickly you initially tried to search for your actual birth mother , I think I have an idea," Angela sighed.

" Angela, I just couldn't burden you with the fact that she refused to give you a chance because … " Shawn gulped.

" Shawn, you were never like Chet, Virna or any of the other Hunters- not even Jack. I loved you for who YOU were. I admit it would have hurt to have known that back then but I wouldn't have held her closemindedness against you since you don't have that, "Angela insisted.

"Thank you for that! I wish you and Jared luck in your parenthood journey,too!" Shawn exclaimed as he hugged her.

"I'll catch up some more with Cory and Topanga as well as Rachel, Eric and Miss Lydia. Great seeing you again, Katy!" Angela pondered as she left.

Katy came up from behind then hugged and kissed him.

"What was that for?" Shawn asked.

"You said what needed to be said to Angela and I'm so proud of you, Gorgeous!" Katy laughed then, with Shawn bracing her, sat back down.

"Well, she's been there for us through all _our_ baby and mother twists and turns these past six months!" Shawn insisted.

"And now she and her husband are going to be hosting six teens in their Parisian townhouse. What are they thinking?" Katy laughed.

. ..

. .

"Jonathan! Glad you could make it! Please sit down in Maya's spot while she's giving the Crenshaws the grand tour!" Shawn proclaimed as he stood up and hugged Mr. Turner (in a black tuxedo with black patent leather shoes)

"And miss a Feeny Roast? Fat Chance!" Mr. Turner laughed as he sat down.

"It's NOT that kind of party.. ." Katy explained.

" I know and he does deserve a salute after what virtually every one of us in this room has put him through," Mr. Turner half-laughed.

" Where's Laura? I was hoping to introduce her to Katy," Shawn asked.

"I'm afraid she's sidelined with severe morning sickness that's lasting all day. Her sister's with her. They insisted I be here, though," Mr. Turner explained.

"Katy, Laura and Angela all having babies. You think there could be something in the water?" Shawn asked.

"On two continents?" Mr. Turner laughed.

"Do you think your little one might be more like you instead of like. ..?" Shawn asked.

"You?! Truth be told, Hunter. I wasn't much different from you when I was a teen with a chip on my shoulder -even with a fancy suburban home and an intact two-parent family," Mr. Turner shrugged.

"As long as you're here, there's something I need to tell you,Jonathan" Shawn gulped.

" I've seen your bad side, Hunter. There's nothing that can shake me from you!" Mr. Turner insisted.

"I didn't find this out until just before Thanksgiving. .."Shawn started to say.

"You mean about your long-lost mother Miss Lydia being far better than you were led to believe? We talked about that over Thanksgiving. Remember?" Mr. Turner shrugged.

"No, it's not that but, believe it or not, I learned it on the very same day when I found Mama," Shawn sighed.

"What is it, Shawn?" Turner asked.

" Well, the evening after you tried to talk me into dropping the Centre, your motorcycle . .." Shawn gulped.

" I was comatose for seven months after that, then had to learn to walk, talk and the whole nine hundred yards and I'll be needing Physical Therapy the rest of my life. I **do** recall that one, Hunter," Mr. Turner sighed.

"Well, remember Sherri Acosta? Witness Protection has resettled her 'somewhere in the lower 48' with a new name but, before that, I met her by chance on the day before Thanksgiving at Dandelion Fields and she told me virtually all the nasty, horrible stuff that went down with the Centre - including Phillip Mack having had your Harley sabotaged," Shawn groaned.

"When I finally awoke, the cops told me it had been messed with and, last summer, the F.B.I. filled me on the late Phillip Mack's role," Mr. Turner sighed.

" I am so SORRY that that happened. If only I hadn't gone there. ." Shawn sobbed.

"Aw, Gorgeous!" Katy gasped as she hugged Shawn.

"Shawn, it's NOT your fault. Phillip Mack and I had had words before he ever tried to ensnare you. You weren't the first student in my class he did that to," Mr. Turner explained.

"You mean, you were trying to save _Sherri_?" Shawn gulped.

"Yeah. Oh, I knew she really had no home to return to but anything had to be better than that Centre," Mr. Turner sighed.

" So you were going to try to confront him again over me?" Shawn gulped.

"You're damned right I was but . ." Mr. Turner fumed.

" But I failed you just, like I failed in protecting Mr. Feeny's house from Denny and his thugs the year before. I'm worried I won't be able to protect. .." Shawn sniffed.

"Gorgeous! You WILL do so! You've learned!" Katy insisted.

"Shawn, you came into my hospital room and talked to me- not just that horrible first night but almost every single night for that whole time when everyone else wrote me off as a hopeless vegetable . I couldn't say anything but I could hear every word you said while grasping your hand! You did NOT fail me when it mattered and you won't fail your family either! " Mr. Turner proclaimed as he hugged Shawn.

"You really think so?" Shawn asked.

" You may drive them crazy like you always have me but you won't fail your family!" Mr. Turner insisted.

"Looking back, I don't know what I was thinking telling you about my problems with Jack and my drunken time. That must have been torture!" Shawn sighed.

"No more than usual but it gave me something to fight my way back for," Mr. Turner proclaimed.

"One thing I didn't tell you is that the night of your accident. . I . .I brought Mr. Mack to the hospital wanting to think he could somehow help…" Shawn groaned.

"You did WHAT?! If I'd known that I'd have fought my way back and DECKED him right then and there! No, seriously, I'm glad you didn't tell me he was anywhere near you, the Matthewses, Mr. Feeny or Topanga back then," Mr. Turner sighed.

"You gave me the strength I needed to throw him off even though it meant I had to leave my stuff behind and never go near the Centre again!" Shawn proclaimed.

"Did you miss any of your stuff?" Katy asked.

"No, it was just socks and underwear but I did take Dad's collectable Billy Beer can along- and, believe it or not, when I told Dad about what had happened, Dad asked me why I didn't at least fetch that Billy Beer can from there before I left," Shawn sighed.

" I wish I could say I was surprised," Mr. Turner groaned.

" You know, until Sherri told me the whole nitty gritty in November, I used to wonder whatever became of that beer can when everyone in the Centre 'disappeared'," Shawn half-laughed.

"So, the plan is for us to have the Chicken Kiev/ Beef Burgundy/ Indian Vegetarian dinners we've picked then the cake then the speeches then the …?" Mr. Turner asked.

"Yeah, that's it!" Shawn replied.

"Mr. Turner! Glad you could make it! Let me show you the. .." Minkus insisted as returned to the table then started to reach for Mr. Turner's right arm.

"Stuart! DON'T grab Mr. Turner's arm! He's only got two of them!" Shawn pleaded.

"You're right! I almost forgot to be more careful," Minkus sighed.

"Guess I'm going where Stuart's guiding me. You Hunters must be Grand Central Station. Look who's here!" Mr. Turner exclaimed as he exited and a tall, blonde woman in her mid 30's (in a red satin evening gown with matching high heeled sandals, wrap and clutch bag) accompanied by a tall Latino man with graying temples (in a black tux, black patent leather shoes) approached Shawn and Katy's spot.

"Kimberly Sussman?!" Shawn gulped (as he recognized Kimberly who had thrown the new nose celebration party at her home where Shawn and Cory had gotten drunk off of Alan's stolen whiskey when they were teens and whose own parents had let her have that party unsupervised without them so much as greeting her guests)

"Yes, and in three more weeks, it will be Kimberly Sussman .. _Alveira_!" Kimberly insisted as she flashed a sapphire engagement ring.

"You mean that you're marrying. .." Katy gulped as she suddenly connected Kimberly's companion.

"Miguel Alveira of the Philadelphia based chain of dry cleaners," Miguel groaned.

"Now that we visited Cory and Topanga Matthews and their daughter Riley recalled your previous interaction, isn't there something you need to say to the Hunters, Miguel?" Kimberly insisted.

"Katy, I'm your Uncle Miguel, your late father Martin's kid brother and.." Miguel gulped.

"You're the one who said those awful things about my late grandmother-in-law Charlotte Lubotsky Daly Hart, my late mother-in-law Katharine Daly and my wife Katy( your own niece) to my daughter, your own great-niece Maya?!" Shawn boiled as he clenched his fists and stepped in front of Katy.

"Look, man! I'm SORRY! I didn't know who it was who called . ."Miguel gulped.

"That's NO excuse! You used vile terms about my original family and. .." Katy fumed.

"Yes, and I (as well as his sister Gloria )walked in on that conversation and let him have it but since it came from Riley Matthews's Smartphone, we didn't know that she was connected to our own family," Kimberly explained.

"Why would you not have wondered why a teen girl in NYC would call to ask you about a teen girl who'd died in '82," Katy asked.

"OK, now that I'm here. I just want you all to know that I know I said the worst things I could have said and made the worst first impression since Magellan landed in the Philippines and I'm SORRY. Can we do this again?" Miguel asked - about the time Maya came back to the table but having heard the main conversation.

"He's your uncle. What do you think, Maya, Katy?" Shawn asked.

"Well, Gorgeous, we wouldn't be here now with me ready to have your twins in a month, if we had dismissed you after YOUR first impressions you gave each of us," Katy pondered.

" I guess if the person's genuinely sorry, forgiveness isn't totally for suckers. Okay, Uncle Miguel, you've got a second chance," Maya weighed in.

"Good, after the dinner, I'd like to tell you about Martin and my folks and all about our ancestors back in Portugal. You have his eyes, Katy. . you have his cheeks, Maya, and I'll be interested to see if either of your new babies take anything after him," Miguel replied.

"That's cool , Uncle Miguel, but know that if you hurt any of my family again, there's no third chances and I won't let it pass," Shawn insisted.

"Got it, Man! Looks like Kimberly sees another one of her pals at one of the tables, I've got to get going," Miguel proclaimed.

"So Kimberly Sussman who was in Shawn's class is going to be my aunt," Katy laughed.

"Yeah, she's going to be a wonderful trophy wife- even though her parents are some of the dumbest folks I've ever met. I can't wait to see if our future kids get her cute little nose," Miguel proclaimed as he started to walk away.

" I wouldn't pin anything on them getting that nose," Shawn replied.

:

. . .

. .

The meals were then served then after the room sang 'Happy Birthday' to Mr. Feeny and cheered him having blown out the large Nine and Zero candles, the birthday cake(dark chocolate cake and icing with apricot jam filling which Mr. Feeny had requested back in September ) was sliced and served to the Main Table with precut slices to all the others. Once everyone had the chance to get started on their cake. .

"Attention Everyone! We're not just here to say 'Happy Birthday' to Mr. Feeny but to salute him and Mrs. Feeny so let me present Mr. Stuart Minkus who will start the proceedings!" Joshua Matthews proclaimed from the Table Podium next to Mr. Feeny's seat.

" Mr. Feeny, there's so much I could say about all your dedication to making the lives of young people better you've done down the decades but I can't let this evening pass without personally thanking you for being my one REAL parent from kindergarten on. If it weren't for you, not only would I have had no encouragement to make the best of my intellect and talents and .not only would there be no Farkle Minkus or Minkus International but also, I'd likely have wound up either in an asylum, a homeless derelict or dead by now. I LOVE you, Mr. Feeny!" Minkus choked as he hugged Mr. Feeny who choked up but hugged him back.

"And now we're bringing down a screen to project our dedicated photo and video slide show: 90 Years of the Feenys," Joshua proclaimed.

For the next 20 minutes to with the theme 'Home Movies' from the movie **War Games **playing on a loop, George and Lila Bolander Kincaid Feenys' lives were chronicled on a split screen from infancy then childhood onwards (in Boston and Wisconsin, respectively)with each photo/video's identifications captioned in bright yellow script below. They were quite moved seeing their late parents, sibs, friends, students and colleagues,etc. as the decades zoomed pass- many photos they had forgotten about or hadn't known existed. Both of them were especially moved seeing Mr. Feeny's 1st Wedding Photo with the late Lilian Endicott Feeny in 1960 and more pictures of her with each of them before her death in 1985 while Mr. Feeny was impressed by how stunning Lila looked in her wedding dress at her first marriage to Curtis Kincaid when she was 22 in 1951. There were slides of both their careers (including a picture from 1982 with Mr. Feeny with both of Katy Hart Hunter's late teenaged parents Martin Alveira and Katherine Daly at their prom and another picture of Lila with her arms around Charlotte Lubosky Daly Hart and the noticeably pregnant Katharine Daly later that year that both moved Katy, Shawn and Maya tremendously) with their many students down the decades until finally came the slide of their own wedding in 1999. Then the slideshow became pictures of the two of them together working together at Pennbrook until their joint retirement in 2006 and in their own private lives before a final one with them celebrating Alan and Amy Matthewses' 40th anniversary in 2016.

"And now I'd like to bring back Mr. Stuart Minkus, " Joshua declared as the screen rolled back up to the top of the ceiling.

"Thank you, Joshua Matthews! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Jessica Feeny Jurado, Lula Bolander Murray, Amy Cohen Matthews, Topanga Lawrence Matthews and Thomas Jonathan Murphy as well as the John Adams High and Pennbrook University Archives for their unearthing and providing us this photo and video record of the Feenys' lives and careers but this isn't a one-time salute. If we receive your express permission, we'd like these slides and videos to be permanently rotated and displayed to inspire future generations both in a shrine in this building AND on this building's website to inspire future generations. True, I provided the warehouse itself but this building, in its present glory, is a culmination of the efforts of many folks' hard work and dedication so with, no further ado, I'd like to turn this over to someone I now consider one of my best friends, Mr. Shawn Patrick Hunter who I must give full credit for having conceptualized and orchestrated tonight's fete for Mr. and Mrs. Feeny- including the still photo and video presentation we just viewed," Minus declared before Shawn walked up before the two hugged.

"Thank you, Stuart! For too many years, I wasted too much time obsessing about how I didn't have the ideal family life that others had but then after, I married Katy and became Maya's father, I came to realize that there was no point in doing that since I couldn't change my past . However, if I used that energy to fight for others, I COULD change others' future. That's why my wife Katy and I, as well as our daughter Maya, my newly found mother Reverend Lydia Bolling, my brother Jack Hunter, our friends Alan and Amy Matthews, our friends Cory and Topanga Matthews and their children Riley and August, our friend Senator Eric Matthews, our friend Ms. Morgan Matthews, our friend Joshua Matthews, our friend Thomas Jonathan Murphy, our friends Rachel McGwire Friar and her son Lucas Friar, our friends Stuart and Farkle Minkus, our friends Mr. and Mrs. Louis Babineaux and their son Isaiah, our friends Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Smackle and their daughter Isadora and so many others helped transform this building to give homeless children a chance for the best lives possible but I'm not saying this to blow any of our horns. I wouldn't have been able to do this- much less even have survived my childhood or teens had it not been for the tenacity of Mr. George Feeny . Moreover, even though I didn't personally experience more than a few instances of it at Pennbrook , I've come to also greatly admire all the hard work and dedication to bettering young folks' lives his wife Lila Bolander Feeny has done for decades -including my wife Katy's late mother Katharine Daly. I can't help but believe that each of you wanted to be parents but ,for whatever reasons this was not to be, yet you didn't give up on that dream. Instead you channeled it by each being parents to so many in your classrooms and elsewhere -especially to those of us not blessed with worthy parents growing up (and I'm so thankful your teachings have helped _me_ worthy to be reunited with my real mother these past four months and for getting ready to parent my babies happening soon). Your legacy and this building are here because of YOU! Thank you and I LOVE you so much Mr. Feeny and Miss Lila! Now I must turn the podium over to Senator Eric Matthews!" Shawn concluded while choking tears (and it should be noted he said all this off the top of his head and NOT with any notes).

"**Podium** manners! Now more than ever! You can do it," T.J. said (in a black tuxedo and black patent leather shoes) under his breath while his girlfriend Nell (who was a 6 foot tall redhead in a scarlet evening gown) also nodded as Eric passed them by .

"OK, Tommy,Nelly Bean," Eric (in a black tuxedo, black patent leather shoes)gulped.

"You ready, Eric?" Shawn whispered to which Eric nodded.

"Thank you, Shawn! I could use this time to call him FE-HEE-HEE-NAY but there's a lot more to him than that. Some may say it was very little but Mr. Feeny HAS taught me almost everything I know - especially to be a good person who cares about people and what he taught me helped me survive so many tough years on my own and now I'm blessed to use these skills to help children and others who need help by the power of my elected office. We want everyone who ever sees this building from now on to be inspired by your and Mrs. Feeny's examples the way we all have been so that's why I'm pushing the Big Button to reveal its name: 'the George Hamilton and Lila Bolander Feeny Children's Sanctuary and Educational Foundation, Founded 2017!/ 'Believe in Yourself. Try. Dream. Do Good'- George Hamilton Feeny, 2000." Eric declared (also using no notes)as two curtains dropped to reveal the name and quote chiseled in the archway stonework above the Elephant Door on the exterior and the name and quote carved in the tall archway under the high ceiling above the Main Table.

"And since this building isn't just about the past but a home we dedicate for children's future, may we present our House Parents Mr. Harley Keiner and Ms. Claire Ferguson who will then introduce our permanent and guest children residents whose home this will be until their 18th birthdays," Josh proclaimed at the podium.

"Thank you Johnny Baboon's cub bro. There's a ton of stuff I ain't proud of what I did to Mr. Feeny and others at John Adams High back in the day but I'm here to make sure that these kids will know what its like to have a home where folks guide and look out for them as the Feenys would want and I'm very grateful for this opportunity to have a chance I never imagined I'd have during those bad times. And now I'd like to invite the kids' House Mother, Miss Claire who will be a boon to us all to say some words," Harley (in the full black tuxedo, black patent leather shoes but with his biker gloves) exclaimed.

" Thank you Harley. Back at John Adams High, all my friends thought just because my family was wealthy, I had all the privileges a girl could want but Shawn Hunter knew differently and gave me shelter from my violent, abusive male parent before he sent me to live with my aunt in Vermont. I can't help but think if it weren't for Mr. Feeny and the Matthewses' influences on Shawn, he would have only seen what he wanted like everyone else did but I've also gotten to know his newly reunited mother Reverend Lydia Bolling who has been my colleague and friend for some years now. As much as I hate to leave Dandelion Fields and all my friends there behind, I believe it's time for me to give to those children who also need the voice of someone willing to see past what they want to see. Lastly, though I avoided him like the plague back at John Adams High, I can't imagine a better House Father to co-parent these youngsters than Harley Keiner,"Claire Ferguson (in a green evening gown with matching accessories) declared.

"Now it's time to introduce our 15 permanent residents who will call this place home until their 18th birthdays and 10 residents who are here until their own families are stable again to take them back but even after they leave, their House Parents and all the staff and Board Members will always be in their corners.. They range from 2 years old to 16 from a good variety of backgrounds and we're visiting them in THEIR brand-new home," Joshua started to explain as he introduced the children by name (who had eaten their meal at their own banquet table in the back of the room )in new suits, dresses and shoes to everyone else.

Then Joshua explained in detail how the $50 million endowment from Minkus Family Foundation had been used to purchase the warehouse, then how Shawn, Katy, Cory, Topanga and the others had helped to renovate it so each of the residents would have his/her own room with its own attached bathroom (and each room had either an original painting by Maya and/or an original photograph by Shawn and no two rooms looked the same). There was a full time cook who would cook the meals for all the children from scratch in the basement kitchen (and would provide cooking lessons for those residents who expressed interest). There was a full time nurse who had her own fully staffed infirmary near the Great Hall. There was a fully stocked library as well as a computer and audio-visual room (but each residential room had its own shelf of books of the appropriate reading/age range for the resident). There was a gymnasium with a part time gym teacher as well as a yoga studio. There was also an arts and crafts room as well as a small stage for those residents interested in considering performing arts.

"So, what will happen when it runs out?" Mr. Feeny asked after they concluded their tour given them by Shawn, Eric, Cory and Minkus.

"Oh, we haven't touched the principle! Stuart has put it in a trust and we're using the interest to fund things! Right now, we just want to establish the home for these few homeless children in this one building which we want them to consider their home instead of an overcrowded institution but we might want to one day expand to other buildings and cities in different parts of the nation," Shawn explained.

"And is there a Board of Directors?" Lila asked.

"Yes, Katy and I, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, Mama, Eric, Rachel, T.J. Murphy, Stuart, Jennifer, Jack, Cory and Topanga, Morgan, Joshua and Mr. Turner are all on the board and we have weekly meetings via Skype to discuss the administration issues and, yes, we have our disagreements but we have agreed to abide by simple majority rule. However, we unanimously decided that you and Mr. Feeny should be invited to join us either as permanent or honorary Board Members, " Shawn insisted.

"Well, we'll have to talk about that but that could be quite doable,"Mr. Feeny pondered while Lila nodded.

"And we'd also like to invite you to loan or bequeath whatever papers, documents, photos or videos from your own collection you'd like in our Shrine to you and Mrs. Feeny- as you can see we have them displayed behind unbreakable glass made by Minkus International," Cory added.

"I ..never expected ANY of this. I'm gratified to know that you HAVE dreamt and done good not just for yourself and your immediate family but for so many others in need- despite the major earlier setbacks. That's ALL I ever wanted for you," Mr. Feeny gulped as he and Lila hugged Shawn.

" I can't guarantee the next generation will take up your banner but we're going to keep it flying as long as we can," Shawn proclaimed.

"Folks, as much as we've enjoyed having you here as our guests,it's eight o'clock and this place better be spic and span in time for our kids' bedtime in another hour! So I bid youse farewell for now!" Harley proclaimed over the podium microphone while Claire Ferguson nodded at his side with quite a few of the formerly homeless children surrounding them.

" I can take you and Mr. and Mrs. Matthews back to Philly in plenty of time, "Minkus proclaimed.

"I'll round up Katy and Maya so we can get back home," Shawn insisted.

"Shawn. ..! Now, don't be alarmed. I've called 911!" Topanga proclaimed as she ran out of the ladies' room adjacent to the podium.

"How can you tell someone NOT to be alarmed then say you called 911?" Cory scoffed.

"It's Katy! Is she. ..?" Shawn gulped.

"She's fine but her water has broken and she's in labor Maya, Riley and Miss Lydia are all with her," Topanga explained.

"Oh, only eight months! Cory, what if one or both of the. ..?" Shawn shuddered.

"Don't worry about that just now! Just BE with her, Son! That's what she needs," Alan insisted..

. ..

At the maternity operating room of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Manhattan a few hours later.

"You're almost there, Katy! Just a few more pushes!" Dr. Bethany Lowenstein proclaimed as she looked on the other side of the sheet draped over the childbed where Katy was laying down.

" You're doing wonderful, Babe! " Shawn (now in scrubs and a surgical mask and cap) insisted as he kissed her hand.

"My grandbabies are almost there, Darlin'!" Lydia (also in scrubs and a surgical mask and cap- having changed out of her indigo blue evening gown with matching pumps and handbag)added.

"Oh, that belly dancing you taught me has come in handy!"Katy gasped between pants.

"Belly dancing?"Shawn gulped.

"To ready the abdomen muscles for childbirth. I learned it from an Egyptian belly dancer named Fatima a few years before you were born!" Lydia half-laughed.

"Looks like this is IT,"Katy gulped while covered in sweat with her upper body gowned and her head covered by a paper hair net.

"Yes, Katy!" Dr. Lowenstein said as she, Shawn and Lydia wiped the sweat from Katy's brow.

" I've got one request!" Katy insisted.

"Anything, Babe!" Shawn proclaimed.

. ..

.

"Dad, what do you think they'll name them if they're girls? " Riley asked while seated.

Also in the waiting room besides Riley's parents and brother was Maya, Josh, Alan,Amy, Eric, Rachel, Lucas,Morgan, Jack, T.J.(Tommy) Murphy,Nell Custis, Agent LaChance, Stuart and Farkle Minkus, Mr. Feeny, Lila and Mr. Turner.

"I'm hoping for Cora and Shawnna," Cory reflected while seated on the floor while cuddling a sleepy Auggie with Josh on the other side of his son doing the same.

"Why did you and Mom name me Riley, anyway?" Riley asked.

"You remember your great-grandmother Bernice Matthews?" Topanga asked.

"Not well except for the shrunken head she gave me but she died when I was about eight, right?" Riley asked

" That's right We wanted to name you for her but. ." Cory started to say.

"Wait, you were going to name me BERNICE?! UGH!" Riley cringed.

" Yes, we were but your Great-Grandma Matthews said she herself always hated her own name since she said it made her sound like 'an old lady canasta and bingo player' so we used her maiden name of Riley instead!" Topanga explained from her seat.

"She was quite the character, Riley, and golden in her own way! And,Auggie, we named you after your mother's Maltese great-grandfather Augusto Muscat who'd died a year before you were born at age 105!" Cory recalled while mussing his son's hair.

"105? Wow!" Auggie exclaimed.

"They've been in there for nearly three hours. How much longer, Aunt Topanga?" Maya asked in the waiting room.

Suddenly, the waiting room doors burst open from the surgical suite with Shawn out of breath.

"Is Katy okay? How are the twins?" Cory asked.

"They're not here just yet but Katy's made one request and I'm not about to turn her down. Come with me, Maya! And, if Cory and Topanga allow it, you,too, Riley!" Shawn insisted.

"What?!" Maya gulped from her chair.

"No, no! Not my baby girl! A delivery room is no place for my baby girl!" Cory gasped and started to hyperventilate.

"Cory, you fainted during BOTH our babies' births and, despite his own issues, Shawn DID stay with me my entire labor with Riley, "Topanga recalled.

"Daddy, do I have to?" Maya gulped.

"Your Mom believes you and Riley need to know EXACTLY what the end result of sex can be- even with all the boxes checked so you can think everything through before making any decisions you can't take back," Shawn insisted.

"Mom, Dad, that part of the sex education seemed so yucky and gross, I don't want to. .." Riley gulped.

"Mom needs us in there so I'm not letting her down," Maya insisted.

"You sure?" Joshua gulped as he awoke.

"Yeah, I'll get scrubbed. Uncle Cory and Riley, you know I love both of you but Aunt Topanga, see what you can do to get Riley to be tough like you in the next few minutes instead of cringing like Uncle Cory," Maya proclaimed as she went back to the maternity OR with Shawn.

"Riley, you have a very important decision to make,"Topanga insisted.

"I'm glad you're letting me make it without. ." Riley started to say.

" So if you ever decide to have a baby and want Maya or ME there with you during labor, it would be wise for you to decide to join Maya and Aunt Katy in there tonight," Topanga insisted.

"Yes, Mom," Riley groaned then started walking toward the delivery room before Topanga chased after her and gave her a quick kiss on the left facial cheek.

. ..

. .

"You heard Dr. Lowenstein, one more push, Babe! Grab my arm! " Shawn insisted.

"You can do it, Mom!" Maya (now in scrubs, a face mask and a paper hair net) insisted.

"You've got this, Aunt Katy," Riley (also in scrubs, face mask and paper hair net) gulped.

[SCREAAMM!] Katy screamed quite loudly.

"Another one!" Lydia insisted.

[SCREAMM!] Katy screamed.

"I see the first one's head crowning!" Dr. Lowenstein proclaimed.

"Oh, I'm so TIRED," Katy cried.

"I know but we're here to give you our energy as best we can, Babe!" Shawn insisted as he kissed her on the lips.

[SCREAM!] Katy screamed.

"OK, the head is out! Small pushes to get the rest of the body out!" Dr. Lowenstein insisted.

[SCREAM!] Katy screamed.

"It's out! He's out! " Dr. Lowenstein proclaimed as she held the newborn boy aloft while he gave a healthy cry even before she slapped him.

"It's a BOY! We have a son. Mama, you have a grandson!" Shawn cried with happy tears while Lydia nodded.

"I've got a brother," Maya gulped.

"Eww.. There's so much BLOOD!." Riley swooned.

"No you don't, Riles! If Mom has to stay awake through this whole thing, so do you!" Maya insisted as she slapped Riley several times to keep her awake and put an ammonia capsule under Riley's nose that one of the nurses handed her.

"He's healthy and hear that crying! He definitely takes after both our sides here!" Shawn laughed.

"Now, it's time for his brother or sister to follow. Another push, Katy!" Dr. Lowenstein insisted.

"Oh, I feel so wiped out as it is!" Katy gulped.

"Your vitals are fine and we've got plenty of fluids going into you, Katy," Dr. Lowenstein insisted.

"Just blow this thing and we can all go home!" Shawn insisted.

"Gorgeous? Come here," Katy gasped.

"Yes, Babe?" Shawn asked.

At that Katy lightly patted him on this right and left facial cheeks.

"Now is our Baby Boy's brother or sister inside you or me," Katy asked.

"Inside you, Babe," Shawn sighed.

"Then leave it to me," Katy insisted.

"Katy. .." Dr. Lowenstein started to say.

[SCREAM!] Katy screamed.

"Oh, I think this one has crowned," Dr. Lowenstein insisted.

" Just one more BIG push then. ." Shawn pleaded.

[SCREAM!] Katy screamed.

"Yeah, you got the head and now the rest of . .her is following! It's a girl!" Dr. Lowenstein proclaimed as Shawn kissed Katy, Lydia clutched Katy's right hand and Maya kissed Katy then hugged Riley.

"How's my _Younger _Baby Girl doing?" Katy asked while nodding at Maya.

"She's starting to cry even before I hold her up. Your newborn son and daughter are nice, pink and healthy even if they got here a little early," Dr. Lowenstein proclaimed as Shawn cut both their umbilical cords then the staff quickly bathed both babies before Dr. Lowenstein presented the freshly bathed babies to Shawn.

"Hey there, Babies! It's Daddy! Wait till I tell you what your names are going to be but first let me give you to your Nana who I didn't know existed when I first found out about you!" Shawn beamed as he held the two squirming, active and LOUD newborns a few minutes then handed them to Lydia.

"It's Nana, Darlins! You're so LUCKY you have parents who will be there for you. Not every baby is so blessed and now you two have blessed me by being so healthy and strong!" Lydia exclaimed then handed them to Maya.

"Is it okay for me to hold them, Nana, Daddy?" Maya gulped.

"No better time to learn then now, Maya!" Shawn laughed as Lydia handed them to Maya.

"It's your Big Sis Maya! I must be the world's biggest sucker right now because you two have given me so MUCH hope that I don't want to let go! You're wonderful and now it's time for you to meet our Mom," Maya cooed then handed them to Katy.

"A year ago, I barely thought I'd ever be anything more than just a bit player in your Big Sis's life much less ever have fallen so totally in love with your Daddy or become your Mom but now we're all in it together for the rest of our lives and you two are part of it. How I LOVE you little guys! " Katy happily though exhaustedly cried as she held her newborn twins on her bosom for the first time.

. .

.

.A few minutes later, Shawn came out into the waiting room and pulled down his surgical mask.

"Jack, you're now an uncle of a boy and another girl!" Shawn proclaimed.

"Man, that's awesome!" Jack yelled while hugging Shawn and everyone else awoke to cheer.

"So now you got two niches and a COUSIN!"Eric yelled.

"No, I've got. ." Jack tried to say.

"Just leave it, Jack," T.J. half-laughed.

" And Katy's okay?" Topanga asked while nudging a snoring Cory.

"Yeah, she's fine and so is Maya but. ." Shawn started to explain.

"She's not heavy, she's my bestie!" Maya laughed as she pushed the woozy Riley ahead of her in a wheelchair as they came into the waiting room.

"Oh, there was SO much blood and stuff," Riley gasped as she swooned and fainted again.

"You're your father's child, alright!" Topanga sighed while lightly tapping Riley's face.

"He's 6 pounds nine ounces while she's 6 pounds three ounces. He has my blue eyes but Katy's blond hair while she has my brown hair and Katy's brown eyes . They're both beautiful! They're both good, healthy, breathing, with good appetites and so LOUD on their own!" Shawn proclaimed while panting.

"Way to go, Bro! " Cory proclaimed while hugging Shawn.

"Katy did the bulk of it!" Shawn proclaimed while Topanga glared at Cory.

" It's 11:52 P.M. Hey, it's still George's Birthday. Your babies were born on George's 90th Birthday!" Lila proclaimed as looked at the digital clock hanging above the door while she hugged Mr. Feeny.

"Huh. What?!" Mr. Feeny sputtered as he awoke from his catnap.

"That's right," Shawn gulped.

"So are Baby Cory and Baby Cora ready to. .?" Cory asked while the whole room (including Auggie) glared at him.

"Sorry, Cor but we've already chosen the names!" Shawn declared.

"Shawn, Jr. and Katy?" Topanga asked.

"No, our new son is named George Feeny Matthews Turner Hunter and our new daughter is named Amy Lydia Charlotte Maya Hunter, " Shawn proclaimed.

"Y-y-ou named him for _me_? Shawn?" Mr. Feeny gulped.

"It's funny that nearly a year ago, Cory got in one of his snotty moods and said that I was dressing like your father and, at the time, I was upset but I've since thought about it and you're _still_ the best person I know so if Baby George grows up to be anything like you, I'll be even MORE proud to be his father than I am now, "Shawn insisted as he hugged Mr. Feeny.

"Shawn, you're the first of my students to ever name a child after me. My cup runneth over. .." Mr. Feeny blubbered.

" I don't mean to burst Shawn's bubble or rain on your parade but, actually, _I_ named a child after you," Minkus declared while nudging Farkle who was seated next to him.

"What? But young Mr. Minkus is. .." Mr. Feeny gulped.

" Mr. Feeny, Farkle is an acronym. My full name is..

**F**eeny

**A**ristotle

**R**ohrschach

**K**eppler

**L**avoisier

**E**instein . . Minkus," Farkle half laughed.

" But all the others are famous scientists while…" Mr. Feeny protested.

"Well, if you hadn't been around, I'd have never been inspired to follow in your or any of the above's footsteps," Minkus declared.

"Yes, Riley, I did know that one! " Cory half-laughed before Riley could say anything.

"I don't know how ANYone could wear all those names out- EVER," Lucas half-laughed.

"Mr. Matthews, your family has been far better to me than I deserved for so long that we couldn't help but immortalize ALL of you including Morgan and Joshua- NOT just Cory and, Mr. Turner, I couldn't leave you out. I'm telling George about all of you as soon as I think he understands and all the adventures and great things you've done down the years!" Shawn insisted.

"Are you okay, Amy?" Alan asked as he saw his wife crying.

" I just never expected Shawn to name his son after our family and his baby girl after me. Shawn, are you sure your own mother Miss Lydia won't mind my name in front of hers for your daughter?" Amy sniffed.

" Actually, I had a hard time persuading Mama to let us use her name for her granddaughter at all but Katy and I didn't want our daughter to get confused with her Nana and we DID want her name there. We also honored Katy's side with Gammy Hart's name of Charlotte," Shawn reflected.

"And I'm going to tell them all about Gammy but you also gave MY name as well to my baby sister?" Maya gulped.

"Yeah. Well, if it weren't for you encouraging your Mom and I to open ourselves to see if we could love each other, not only would we not have a blissful union and be raising you together but Baby George and Baby Amy wouldn't be here! You're definitely a part of her, _Hijita_!" Shawn proclaimed as he hugged Maya's upper shoulders.

"So you named your son after Mr. Feeny because I teased you and said you were Mr. Feeny's father?" Cory scoffed.

" No, it went far deeper than that and it was by NO means about you- despite your being needlessly snotty to me then," Shawn groaned.

"But I was just tea. ..!" Cory whined.

"No, Cory, you WERE being snotty to Shawn. There's no way to spin it as anything else," Topanga groaned.

"I've long since let this go but since Mr. Feeny was born in 1927, that means that Mr. Feeny, Senior would have been a turn of the 20th century man- and likely a natty dresser in pinstripe suits and spats, " Shawn laughed.

"He was, at that! I truly wish you and he could have met. He'd have never foreseen that you'd name your firstborn son after his own! I'm still stunned," Mr. Feeny laughed.

"When I married George almost seventeen years ago, I said that my only sadness about marrying him was finding him so late in life. Yes, I always **did** want to be a mother and wish I had had the chance to have borne George a son. Shawn, I know that he's your and Katy's boy not ours but I THANK you for honoring us by passing along George's name through him," Lila sobbed.

"Your most welcome, Lila! I'll do all I can to make sure Baby George and my Baby Amy grow up to honor all that of what you and Mr. Feeny stand for," Shawn sniffed as he hugged Lila.

"Come on, Lila! Let's take a few deep breaths and collect ourselves," Mr. Feeny gulped as he whispered into her ear while hugging her from the back.

Then Shawn let go his hug of Lila and the Feenys too a few deep breaths.

"Okay now?" Minkus asked.

"I think so, Stuart," Lila replied while Mr. Feeny nodded.

"Good," Minkus replied.

"So, would you be willing to give us and the Matthewses' a midnight chopper ride back to Philly, Stuart? It's a bit late and I don't want to spend the night here if we don't need to," Lila insisted.

"Say no more, Lila. I'll have you four back by 1 AM at the latest. Then I'll ready my housewarming baby gift for Shawn and Katy," Minkus insisted as he nudged Farkle and the two of them started to leave.

"Baby gift? But we don't need that and Katy just bore our twins so I'm not sure she's up to an April Fool's deal," Shawn sputtered.

"It will be an April Fool's Baby Gift to remember and appreciate! Trust me,"Minkus insisted.

"Are you sure about this, Father?" Farkle asked while Minkus nodded.

"Anyway, Mr. Matthews, we've also selected you and Mrs Matthews to be our babies' godparents so I'm inviting you two ,Mr. Feeny and Lila for a chance to briefly meet them before you have to return," Shawn insisted.

"We're there!" Amy exclaimed- while jumping on her high heeled sandaled feet-still in her evening gown- and dragged Alan behind while Mr. Feeny and Lila followed Shawn back to Katy's room where she was already fast asleep while Lydia was quietly rocking her grandchildren in while hugging them onto her bosom while she being seated in a rocking chair then , after the Feenys and Matthewses Senior ooed and ahed a bit in whispering tones, they left… .

. .

.

Hunter Apartment, Saturday, April 1, 2017 Afternoon.

" Lucas, Zay, Riley and Maya, your Mom's due to be released from the hospital later this evening but we need to somehow clear a room for these twins to stay in," Shawn groaned.

"But there's only our two bedrooms and the tiny hall closet along with the living/kitchen area and bathroom- and they'll need separate rooms before too long since they're brother and sister," "Maya groaned.

" I guess we'll have to move to a bigger apartment with me having to do more online work to afford it before too long but, in the meantime, I think we'll need to have the twins in the main room," Shawn sighed.

"But Daddy, you do your work from the main room. I love my adorable new sibs but they're LOUD! " Maya gasped.

"Never guess **who** they could take after," Zay laughed.

"We can help move stuff from the closet to the basement storage for you, Mr. Hunter. That ought to work in a pinch," Lucas offered.

" I guess that will have to do for. ." Shawn started to say before…

[BOOOM!] the entire apartment building rattled.

"Earthquake?! In Manhattan?!" Shawn gulped as he and Lucas tried to get Riley and Maya to the front door archway.

"Half your kitchen wall's GONE!" Riley gasped as the dust instantly cleared after Minkus and Farkle blew the dust with their lungs while the others saw it and were in shock.

"APRIL FOOLS!" Minkus and Farkle said together- as they both appeared barefoot in black ninja outfits then each ran up to the new giant hole in the wall and after Minkus nodded, each stood on their bare tip toes while bracing the ceiling of the hole with their extended hands.

"Stuart, are you nucking futz?! Just because you and Farkle CAN knock out stone walls with steel girder braces with your bare hands and feet with ease doesn't mean you should. I'm calling 911!" Shawn fumed.

"And what would you tell them, Shawn?" Minkus laughed.

"That you trespassed from next door and destroyed our mutual wall," Shawn fumed.

" And what prison could possibly prove a match for our individual much less combined strength?" Farkle asked.

" I don't care! That'll be their problem! This time you Minkii went too far! And I thought you were my friends! How am I going to begin to make this right with my neighbors? The landlord?" Shawn sputtered.

" Your next door neighbors just permanently moved to a Connecticut beach home a few hours ago after being offered a good deal for it- see how empty the apartment is behind me?" Minkus asked.

"What?! But . ." Shawn gasped as he looked behind the Minkuses and saw the apartment bare of furniture.

" As for your landlord. Well, this entire ten block section of the Village just got bought out by a conglomerate owned by your's truly! " Minkus smirked.

"Wait…you're my new landlord," Shawn gulped.

"Yes! So if the authorities tried to cuff me, they couldn't hold me for trespassing on my own property!" Minkus laughed.

"To say nothing of steel cuffs and chains being as tough for Father to break apart as Silly String," Farkle laughed

"So you're going to throw me out of this apartment just when I'm due to bring Katy home? How could you, Minkus!" Shawn fumed.

" Back to 'Minkus', I see. Well, I told you I had an April Fools' baby gift, " Minkus laughed.

" I told Father how cozy this apartment was even with just you, Mrs. Hunter and Maya so . ." Farkle explained.

"So now your apartment is DOUBLE in size with plenty of room for your newborn twins and all their paraphernalia and they'll each get their own room and as they grow up- to say of your expanded apartment now having two kitchens and two bathrooms! " Minkus explained.

"But.." Shawn scoffed.

"Reach into my robe pocket for my Smartphone. You'll see your new lease displayed!" Minkus explained.

Shawn did so and . .

" You're only going to charge us $50 a month more for this two apartment combo?! " Shawn gulped.

"Don't be too proud, Daddy! We won't have to move AND will have plenty of room for the twins for just $50 extra. Think of how happy that will make MOM!" Maya insisted.

"For you,her and the twins, I'll swallow all the false pride needed as long as our family benefits in the long run. Okay, Stuart. You got yourself a deal. Let's shake. .er let me put out my hand while you touch the outside," Shawn sighed.

"Sorry, but I can't shake hands or put mine down to touch yours. Me and Farkle are bracing the Load Bearing wall of the entire apartment complex so we have to keep our hands and feet in position until the builders get here to make a stable Load-Bearing archway for everyone to use! " Minkus explained.

"Odd contract. A million years for me and my traceable progeny with you and Farkle as landlords?! " Shawn gulped.

"We think that if the building is maintained on a constant basis, it should last at least that long. We also think the rate of inflation will make a necessary adjustment of an extra $100 a month happening after 1200 years, " Minkus added.

"Father, I'm not sure I can keep holding this up forever," Farkle groaned.

"Son, you're not tired or feeling strained, are you?" Minkus asked.

"Well, no, but how long CAN I hold this building up?" Farkle asked.

"Roughly a week for me until the need for water,food and bathroom breaks gets overwhelming but , with your current training condition, I believe you can hold it up for about another five hours," Minkus shrugged.

"Let's call the builders now!" Shawn insisted.

" I already did it before we slammed down the old wall!" Minkus explained.

"They work for Father so they should be here in another fifteen minutes with the needed tools and equipment," Farkle added.

" I'm surprisingly touched that you'd be willing to carry us like that, Stuart- and not just the Load Bearing Wall. Thanks!" Shawn gulped.

"Well, it won't hurt any of my portfolio. Besides with ten blocks of apartments, restaurants and businesses, I can easily absorb my chosen leniency towards you and your family," Minkus laughed.

At once the Hunter front doorbell rang.

"Cory and Topanga. Come in. We're bringing Katy and the twins home in a few hours but our apartment's been expanded," Shawn laughed- as he opened the door.

"Mom, Dad, you won't believe what Mr. Minkus and Farkle have done," Riley gulped.

"I'd like to see Joshua Matthews's face at how _easily_ we kicked and smashed down this wall!" Farkle laughed.

"And you won't believe what our landlord's done! He let some faceless,soulless conglomerate buy it out and raise our mortgage monthly rate by $100 for the apartment and the monthly rent $150 for Topanga's! " Cory boiled.

" And the latter with a million year contract for us and our progeny . Who does that?" Topanga sputtered as she took out her Smartphone.

"Modesty prevents me from sharing that info," Minkus laughed as Cory and Topanga finally noticed that Stuart and Farkle Minkus were in ninja outfits with their outstreched arms bracing the weight of the entire top four floors of the apartment complex with their toes making craters in the steel floor beam.

"Uh-OH!"Cory gulped- then he and Topanga promptly fainted but Shawn and Lucas were able to break their falls in a nick of time.

"It's a good thing that we're all going to Paris on Friday night April the 9th and won't be back until Tuesday, April 18th!" Riley beamed

"Yeah, it's going to be an unforgettable trip," Lucas insisted.

"What do you teens call the last two days?" Shawn laughed while Minkus nodded.

In a few more minutes, the builders employed by Minkus International came and braced the building's load bearing wall with a permanent brand new archway that gave them access to the other apartment which from that point doubled the size of the Hunter Apartment (as well as putting in a new floor over the steel building floor beam that had been exposed when Minkus and Farkle had kicked/punched out the wall). So with them sweeping and carting away the extraneous smashed stonework, plaster, metal and drywall, they were able to have a practical sized family-sized dwelling for the Hunters ready in plenty of time for Shawn to bring Katy and their newborn twins George and Amy home.


	19. April Showers in Paris May Not Bring Fl

**April Showers in Paris May Not Bring Flowers ****(Chapter Nineteen)**

Friday, April 7, 2017- Hunters' [Expanded] Apartment (Manhattan)

"Look at you, Child! All fixin' to paint Paris red by tomorrow morning!" Lydia exclaimed as Maya opened the front door.

"Thanks for watching the twins while Mom and Daddy take me to Topanga's," Maya replied as she hugged Lydia.

"Mom, Daddy! Nana's here! We need to go!" Maya shouted as she banged the top of her travel bag.

"Shh! Child, _inside voice _or else those two little chatterboxes will wake up the dead!" Lydia pleaded in a whisper.

"Sorry, I forgot," whispered Maya.

"Great you could make it, Mama!"Katy proclaimed in a whisper (she was back to wearing one of her first trimester maternity dresses and ballet flats).

"Happy to spare a few hours keeping watch here while Helma's keeping watch at the Farm. Isn't Shawn ready?" Lydia asked.

"Mom, could you get . .." Maya whispered.

"I'll get.. ." Katy sighed as she walked towards their bedroom.

.

.

"Shawn, Maya's about ready for us to take her to Topanga's! " Katy whispered as she opened the door to their bedroom and found Shawn in his t-shirt and sweat pants laying on top of their bed cradling their diapered twins in his arms.

"Shh! They're asleep," Shawn pleaded in a whisper.

" I know. Why aren't you dressed yet? It's almost 5 o'clock and it's still easier for you to put clothes on than it is for me these days," Katy fumed in a whisper.

" Babe, have you ever wondered if their fingers and toes looked like ours when we were that age?" Shawn pondered in a whisper.

"Shawn, you had to have counted all forty of their digits a zillion times and you can do so again when we. .." Katy pleaded in a whisper.

"True but I can't help but wonder how many or few times our own mothers each got to count our fingers and toes before mine was torn away when I was minutes old and before yours died when you were a month old. Also I'm not sure Dad ever bothered to count mine or your late father ever saw you much less counted your digits," Shawn sighed.

" That may be but. ." Katy replied.

" I wonder if George or Amy have any idea how _privileged_ they are to have both of us here with them and not going anywhere?" Shawn asked.

" You're right, Gorgeous, but Mama's here to watch the babies so you need to get dressed so we can take Maya down to Topanga's so she can join everyone on the subway to JFK," Katy insisted in a whisper.

"OK, I'll put on my shoes here then my overcoat when we take Maya," Shawn sniffed.

"Shawn, you're crying!" Katy whispered.

"Am not . .what if I am? Apart from school, this will be the first time Maya's been away from us since George and Amy's birth," Shawn sniffed as he slipped his feet into his dock siders while cradling his newborns on his arms then started walking.

"She's not going away forever- just to Paris for a week!" Katy replied.

"But we just got our family together. Glad you're here, Mama" Shawn sniffed as they all walked to the living room/kitchen area.

"Oh, My Little Loves! Nana's here for you!" Lydia exclaimed in a whisper as Shawn kissed her then handed them to her to embrace.

"Mom, Daddy. We need to get to Topanga's so I can get to Paris," Maya sniffed.

"OK, got to get into straightlaced father mode! OK, Maya, where is your new Passport?" Shawn asked in a whisper

" In my jacket's inside locked pocket," Maya sighed.

"And your roundtrip tickets to Paris?" Shawn asked in a whisper.

"The same but why couldn't I just put the tickets on the Smartphone instead of worrying about paper copies?" Maya groaned in a whisper.

"Because if someone stole your Smartphone with that info, THEY could possibly fly to Paris on your ticket. This is one time we're keeping 20th Century options open," Shawn explained in a whisper

"And what do you do the minute you get to JFK, as well as the minute your plane takes off , the minute you land in Paris, the minute you get through French Customs, and the minute you set foot in the Crenshaws' townhouse?" Katy asked in a whisper.

"Phone you guys letting me know I made it. Come on, I'm not a baby," Maya protested in a whisper.

"You'll always be OUR Baby Girl until we're no longer in this world, we're responsible for you and we need peace of mind that you're okay. Oh, and don't forget to call us once a day when you're there and every step of the way back until you're safe home again!" Katy insisted as she hugged Maya.

"And what are the code words for Paris?" Shawn asked.

"_Brie_ if we're safe, _baguette_ if we're not," Maya groaned.

"Now, here's your credit card with $1000 US prepaid on it! Spend it on meals, transportation and souvenirs but not on junk (and don't forget we'll get the statement next month so we'll know what you spent it on). ONLY spend over the $1000 if it's a dire emergency and be sure to have enough left your last night to treat the Crenshaws to one farewell meal to thank them for taking care of you -even if they try to pay for it themselves!" Shawn insisted as he quietly handed Maya the card.

"You can roll your eyes until they can be used to knock down 10 bowling pins but we're doing all this because we love you and want to keep you safe as possible- and one day . ." Katy started to say.

"When you have a child, you'll understand!" Katy and Maya said together.

"You think these two cute noisemakers will remember me when I get back?" Maya laughed as she picked up and hugged her baby siblings who were awake again soon after Lydia had put them in their carriers on the coffee table.

"We'll remember you! It's time for us to go!" Shawn insisted as he put on his overcoat and put his wallet into his sweatpants pocket.

"I wonder if all the others are having this kind of conversation with their parents?" Maya reflected as she put on her own overcoat and Shawn took her travel bag as while Katy came with them they took the elevator down to the street level to start their walk to Topanga'.

. .At Topanga's. ..

"Now, Farkle! Be sure not to step in any puddles and get your feet soaked," Jennifer Bassett Minkus insisted as she straightened out his collar.

"Mother, I'll be fine!" Farkle groaned.

"_Mi Pasionaria_ he's now the strongest boy in the known galaxy who can twist steel girders like taffy that no others can so much as lift and is completely immune to all viruses, cancers and diseases," Minkus laughed.

"Fine but I'm still the strongest boy's _mother_!" Jennifer sniffed.

"And I'll do my best to protect everyone from harm," Farkle insisted.

"Oh, but I hate to think of you riding the subway and then flying coach instead of jaunting there via one of our luxury private planes and we have an entire chateau in Paris you could stay in. Why do you need to stay with these . .others packed in like sardines?" Jennifer sniffed.

"They're my friends who've never seen Paris before and Isadora & I don't want to miss a minute with them,"Farkle shrugged.

"Our boy likes being with his friends where they are and isn't it great he HAS friends unlike us when we were his age?" Minkus insisted while Farkle nodded.

"I suppose so. Farkle, do you have anything else you want to tell us before Mrs. Friar and the others arrive?" Jennifer asked as she took out an alcohol wipe from her clutch bag and wiped Farkle's perfectly clean face.

"I want to thank you and Father for letting me go this trip and for providing for the luxury meals, tuxes and evening gowns for Mr. Feeny's 90th Birthday Party. I'm so PROUD that you two wanted to treat him and all his other guests like royalty at your own expense, " Farkle proclaimed.

"Well, Mother and I believed that Mr. Feeny and his guests deserved nothing but the best and, as you say, it's a good feeling to provide for others," Minkus said a bit unevenly.

"And not to mention, that it's fun to sometimes dress up and we wanted the guests as well as the Feeny Foundation's residents to be able to enjoy that! " Jennifer laughed- also a bit unevenly.

"Even though I have the feeling that it may not have been entirely altruistic on your parts, I thank you for doing that, Mother and Father," Farkle proclaimed.

"Your most welcome, Son!" Jennifer proclaimed.

"Oh, here comes Lucas and Mrs. Friar. I must catch up with them about the itinerary ! I'll be back in a minute, Mother and Father," Farkle insisted.

"So, do we tell Farkle that the losses incurred by our generosity towards the fete and children actually became GAINS via the tax write offs?" Jennifer asked in a low voice.

"Not just yet. I'll tell him when he's old enough to understand- in another few centuries . In the meantime, we have his admiration, you'll have your own yacht and this will help fund my own private interplanetary transport shuttle. Richard Branson can eat his heart out with his Space Tourist atmosphere bunny hopper!" Minkus laughed.

"Oh, I love it when you show me you have some hidden badness, My Solomon-Brained Herculean Adonis," Jennifer laughed.

"How much do you love it, _Mi Pasionaria_?" Minkus laughed.

"Let me count the ways. .." Jennifer laughed then whispered in his ear.

"Um, Farkle. You have our numbers so give everyone our best and we love you!" Minkus laughed as he and Jennifer each kissed the top of their son's head then took each other's hand and ran out of Topanga's.

"Love you,too. Mother and Father!" Farkle laughed at his parents' hasty exit.

" We just passed by the Minkuses. Ah, to be young and able to run like that!" Katy laughed as she, Shawn and Maya entered Topanga's.

"You just bore our twins a week ago! Don't expect to be another FloJo in an instant, Babe!" Shawn shrugged as he kissed Katy on the lips.

"I hope the Matthewses are cooler with Riley leaving than Mother was with. .." Farkle reflected.

"Oh, that's just a mother thing," Katy shrugged.

"You sure about that, Babe?" Shawn asked.

"Goodbye, Daddy's Precious Only Baby Girl! " Cory blubbered as he and Topanga came downstairs with Riley.

" You will remember to take out your contacts every single night before bedtime and put them in the solution. Right, Riley?" Topanga blubbered as she and Cory hugged onto Riley for dear life.

"Mom, Dad, I'll be back in just over a week and Mrs. Friar and the Crenshaws will watch out for me as well as all my friends," Riley sighed.

"Yes, but they didn't raise you from a baby like WE have. Are you SURE you want to go and are you SURE you'll be okay?" Cory blubbered.

"Mom, Dad, we'll be fine. Thank you for this trip!" Riley insisted as she hugged her parents.

"Son, when you find that Folies Bergere, you send us a Smartphone photo so we can see where my great-grandfather Antoine Babineaux played the trumpet for Josephine Baker back in '27!" Louis Babineaux insisted.

"Yes, Papa, I won't forget! " Zay sighed.

"Louis,your great-grandfather collaborated with Josephine Baker?" Shawn asked.

"Folks underestimate our history but he'd spoken French in New Orleans growing up and helped Miss Baker and other African-American performers with the language in Paris. If the NAZIs hadn't invaded in '40, our branch might have been French!" Louis Babineaux sniffed.

"That's quite interesting, Louis!" Katy exclaimed.

"Isn't it something?" Louis Babineaux shrugged.

"Louis, if your great-grandfather had stayed there, he'd have never come back to New Orleans, met your great-grandmother Frannie and you wouldn't have been born much less eventually come to Austin and met me to have Zay," Cecile DuBois Babineaux laughed.

"You're right but it's still cool to think that our family could have gone full circle having some French blood joining the African blood in N'awlins and then an African-American branch becoming French in Paris all over again! So, how is that Harley Keiner dude related to you again?" Louis asked.

"It's a long story starting in Boston but we need to make sure our son's going to be okay in Paris. Zay, be sure to go to the Rue Des Barres near Notre Dame, "Cecile insisted.

"What's there, Mama?" Zay asked.

"That's where MY grandfather Herbert DuBois and his brother Calvin met again by chance as U.S. Transport Troops in different units when helping to Liberate Paris back in '44! " Cecile laughed.

"Sounds like you Babineaus and DuBoises have known Paris better than the rest of us," Lucas laughed.

"Not quite, Son. Don't forget that that's where I first met and married your father Caleb when we were on the way to Ethiopia to build wells for the Peace Corps, "Rachel recalled.

"You mean, I would have been born in Paris had you two stayed with that?" Lucas asked.

"More likely Ethiopia but both sets of your grandparents raised too much of a fuss when they found out you were on the way for us not to have you in Austin," Rachel laughed.

"We need to be getting to the subway station in the next ten minutes if we want to be at JFK two hours before takeoff," Maya pleaded.

"Where's Isadora?" Farkle asked.

"Sorry, we almost couldn't find my Passport until the last possible second," Isadora sighed as she and her parents ran into Topanga's out of breath.

" I guess that's everyone so we need to. . ." Rachel started to say as she, Lucas, Farkle,Zay, and Riley started to pick up their individual travel bags.

"Wait! Uncle Cory, are you sure Joshua isn't coming by?" Maya gulped.

"I'm afraid not! He's got a tae kwon do tournament out of town that he said he couldn't miss," Cory sighed.

"Now, you and Joshua have very separate lives so don't let this spoil your fun in Paris, Baby Girl," Katy insisted.

"Yeah, besides between the Louvre, Notre Dame,Eiffel Tower and zillions of unique views and songs in the street, you'll be too busy being inspired to paint and compose to think of him," Shawn added while Katy, Maya,Topanga and Riley all gave him a side eye.

"Come on, let's all hug our kids one last time before they start their ventures! We're SO proud of you!" Topanga exclaimed while all the teens hugged their parents still there they were about to depart from.

"Thanks for doing this for us, Rachel! You take care of Maya and the rest of these guys!"Katy sniffed.

"Katy, you know I will!" Rachel insisted as she grabbed her travel bag.

Then the six teens and Rachel exited.

"Congratulations, Cory. You managed to hold it together and show some dignity," Topanga proclaimed while she hugged Cory.

"Not so fast. Mama sent these with her compliments," Shawn exclaimed as he quickly passed out seven sets of white cotton handkerchiefs while keeping one for himself.

" I don't think we. .." Topanga gulped.

"In three. ..two .. One. .!"Shawn sighed- at that point ALL eight parents in Topanga's (himself included) started to blubber simultaneously into said handkerchiefs.

After a few minutes blubbering…

"Say, Cory. Where exactly is Baby Matthews's tae kwon do tourney anyway?" Shawn asked after taking a deep breath.

"Oh, in Orleans ,"Cory shrugged.

"Isn't that in France?" Shawn asked.

"No, it's in upstate New York not too far from St. Upidtown. Eric campaigned there," Cory explained.

"OK, why do I have the feeling things aren't quite what you think?" Shawn asked.

" What do you mean?" Cory asked.

"Never mind," Shawn sighed.

" Orleans, New York and Paris, France are nowhere near each other. You've got nothing to worry about," Cory insisted.

"Fine, call me silly but keep in mind that you've got Lucas Friar on the same flights, house and overseas city as Riley the WHOLE week- even with his mother Rachel and the Crenshaws doing all they can to chaperone," Shawn sighed.

"But, but. .." Cory gulped.

"In three, two, one. ." Shawn groaned -before Cory blubbered all over again into his handkerchief.

"Hey, what's with the waterworks?" Jack asked- as he and Morgan walked in.

"You just missed Maya, Riley and the others leaving for JFK to fly to Paris. I hope you weren't trying to avoid Rachel," Katy noted.

"No. One of the metal saws' blades got cracked and we had to find a replacement to finish the job so we left late. Sorry we missed everyone," Morgan explained.

"Well, everyone's excited about Paris," Topanga enthused.

" Shawn, one of our masons had a family emergency in the middle of setting the brick kitchen wall. Could you come by and finish it for us so we can wrap that up by tonight?"Morgan asked.

"But the twins are at home and. ." Shawn sputtered.

"Mama's with them and I need to go over a few bookkeeping items in person with Topanga so you can go on!" Katy insisted.

"Yeah, we actually thought you did fairly good reno work for the Feeny Foundation," Jack added.

"Well, it will give me something different to tell George and Amy about besides putting together other folks words and pictures for their webpages," Shawn conceded.

"Go on! We'll all be fine, Shawnny!" Cory insisted.

. ..

. .

Charles De Gaulle Airport Paris, France- 8AM local time (6 hours ahead of Manhattan) the next day on the plane docked at the terminal.

"_Oui, Mademoiselle_?" a French flight attendant with the nametag of Chantal asked Riley and Maya at their seats.

"Can the pilot turn my A/V stream BACK ON? I was almost ready to win at Candy Crush," Riley whined while at the window seat- having pressed the call button.

"_Merci_, Chantal," Maya insisted as she waved off the flight attendant .

"Riles, you've played Candy Crush zillions of times before and you can play it again when we get home but here we are in PARIS! Don't ignore this unique, cool place JUST to play video games and surf on your Smartphone," Maya fumed.

"But I almost won that round!" Riley groaned.

"Yes, kids! We need to put away all Smartphones,laptops and other electronic devises until we get through Customs," Rachel insisted.

"Yes, Mama," Lucas sighed.

"And why are you wearing a cowboy hat to Paris anyway?" Maya sniffed.

"Farkle and Zay are both wearing berets!"Riley added.

" I wanted there be to be a little bit of Texas in Paris,France as there is a bit of French in Paris, Texas with its Eiffel Tower replica," Lucas explained.

"Well, take it off so you don't get held up by Customs," Maya fumed.

"Could you hold off the nagging until after Customs? Everyone else behind us has gotten their carry-on luggage and waiting to exit the plane," Isadora pleaded.

. .

. ..Paris, Champs Elysee sidewalk. One hour later. .

"That's your townhouse? Woah! That's amazing, General!" Farkle gasped at the five story tall townhouse on the Champs Elysee as they exited the van that dropped the group off from the airport.

"How can you afford it?" Isadora asked.

"Isadora," gasped Rachel.

"This is used by those who have my rank with NATO command during our tours of duty here, "General Jared Crenshaw explained as they entered the front door.

"We have it for the next three years until Jared's assignment's over but this should be a good start for the baby. Don't you think so, Rachel?" Angela asked.

"Yeah, this is bigger than ANY home I've lived in," Rachel gulped.

"OK, the boys will sleep in one room on the 2nd floor while the girls sleep in another room on the 4th and Mrs. Crenshaw and I as well as Mrs. Friar will be in our own rooms on the 3rd so don't try anything!" General Crenshaw insisted.

"Once we get you settled in your rooms, you kids can nap for a few hours to recover from your transatlantic flight," Angela insisted.

" No way, Mrs. Crenshaw! I'm not missing a minute of daylight in Paris!" Maya insisted.

"Are you sure, Maya?" Rachel asked.

"Yep! I'm too excited to sleep!" Maya exclaimed.

"Same here!" Riley added while the other teens all nodded.

"I wish I could join the rest of you but, this whole afternoon, I have conference meeting at HQ," General Crenshaw sighed.

"We'll miss you but thanks for helping to pick them up, My Conquering Hero!" Angela beamed as she kissed him.

"Well, looks like you've got this, Sweetheart!" General Crenshaw said with a bit of bashfulness.

"A soldier's daughter knows what she's getting into when she becomes a soldier's wife," Angela laughed.

"I'll show everyone your rooms so you can drop off your luggage .Each floor has its own bathroom so you'll have to take turns to freshen up," General Crenshaw explained.

"Take turns?," Riley scoffed.

"In Paris, we're lucky to be in a house with more than one bathroom!" Rachel laughed.

"Where to first?" Angela asked- after they dropped off their luggage.

"Well, it's a clear day and it would be most logical we get to see all of Paris from atop its most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower!" Farkle insisted.

"Great idea! "Zay and Maya cheered while the others weren't so sure.

"The Metro stop is at the end of the block and we'll be at the Tower in no time!" Angela exclaimed.

. .

"It took two hours of waiting in line but we're finally on the way to the top!" Riley beamed while they were riding one the Eiffel Tower's elevators.

"Why should there be so many other people? It's April!" Maya fumed.

"It's also Saturday , not raining so every tourist has the same idea!" Isadora shrugged.

"Well, here we are at the very top so we need to walk up the stairs to the top Observation Deck," Angela insisted as the elevator door opened and the group got out with many other tourists.

"Lucas, please carry your hat here. Need I remind you what happened with your father," Rachel tried to insist while gesturing him to pull it off.

"Aw, Mama. I'm trying to show who I am here! It's staying on!" Lucas insisted as they all walked up to the top deck.

"It's so beautiful seeing the river, gardens, palaces, churches, boulevards and whole city laid out below us!" Riley enthused as they looked through the grate.

"The Tuilleries Garden! That's where we need to go next!" Maya insisted as she pointed to it.

"My HAT!" Lucas screamed as he poked his head through the protective iron grate when a very strong breeze blew his hat off his head .

"LUCAS, NO!" Zay yelled and held onto his bestie as Lucas tried to pry his way through the grate chase after it..

"Lucas, don't shove the tourists ahead of us in line for the down elevator!" Farkle pleaded as Lucas had run ahead of the rest of them.

"But if I get down ASAP, there's a chance the hat will still be close by. Farkle, why don't you **jump **off then chase after it?"Lucas begged.

"Are you. ..?!" Angela gasped.

"I won't do any such thing!"Farkle protested.

"I should hope not!" Rachel insisted.

"I could kill a pedestrian by landing on them from this height!" Farkle insisted.

"My hat!" sniffed Lucas.

"Lucas, I TOLD you to carry it," Rachel groaned.

"Yes, Mama," Lucas sighed.

"Farkle and Zay's berets stayed on. You think the Eiffel Tower may have flushed out the cowboy hat?" Maya asked.

"Cheer up! There's still lots more to see and do in Paris," Riley insisted.

"We can see the Sorbonne where Pierre and Marie Curie discovered each other then discovered radium!" Isadora beamed.

"There's a juggling street festival!" Zay added.

"Tomorrow, we can go to the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa!" Angela added.

"The Mona Lisa? We've seen that painting in so many books, tv shows and the 'Net," Lucas scoffed.

"Yes, but some say that if one has found one's true love, the Mona Lisa will smile on them!" Rachel insisted.

"Really? Oh, yeah!" Angela laughed.

"You think this could cause us guys trouble?" Zay scoffed.

"Only one way to find out," Rachel laughed as they soon were back onboard the elevator going to back to the ground from the Eiffel Tower.

. .

"Here we are at the Tuilleries Gardens! They're spectacular! I can't wait to sketch the trees, statues,fountains and flowers!" Maya insisted.

"But we're about to go inside the Orangerie to see those water lily paintings, "Angela insisted.

"Mrs. Crenshaw, could you and the others go get the tickets then come back for me?" Maya pleaded.

"Why don't you take a few shots around here with your Smartphone then sketch those later?" Farkle asked.

"No shot could capture the moments I want to immortalize here and now. Please, Mrs. Crenshaw, Mrs. Friar?" Maya pleaded.

"OK, we'll leave you for a few minutes but remember, you've got our numbers and don't hesitate to call 18 for the _gendarmes_!"Angela sighed.

"Are you sure it's okay to leave Maya on her own like that on the bench?" Rachel asked.

" Did you see that light in her eyes seeing those trees, flowers, fountains and benches? It reminded me of Shawn when HE got inspired to photograph," Angela laughed.

"Angela, you know that Maya's his by adoption and not biology," Rachel sighed.

"Yeah, but they have that same artistic angst regardless which we can't stifle- especially not here in the City of Light!" Angela laughed while all the others joined them to get tickets.

Despite Maya's excitement (and not a few _café au laits_), the jet lag almost immediately caused Maya to dose off.

"_Alouette gentille alouette/alloute je te plumerai _," Maya heard a baritone voice sing.

"Hunh? Who are. ." Maya snorted to herself then woke up then saw no one around her but a single red rose laid atop the sketch pad on her lap about an inch away from her right hand where Maya was holding the sketch pencil.

"Who are you? Where'd you go?" Maya gulped as she looked around but so no one but other Parisians walking around as her group returned.

"Maya, we got the tickets!" Riley exclaimed.

"That's great! But look what I got!" Maya exclaimed as she held the red rose in her right hand.

"It's beautiful!" Isadora exclaimed.

"Did you buy it from a vendor?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, here in Europe, they scam you by pretending to give it to you then insisting that you pay for it! You need to do a strong '_Merci, non_!' then give it back!" Angela sighed.

"No, it wasn't like that. I heard a guy sing a song and then when I awoke, I saw the flower on my sketchpad," Maya explained.

"Who knows what someone could have tried with you being asleep. You need to be more careful!" Lucas insisted.

"The New York Maya would have probably taken out an eye from someone sneaking a flower while I was sleeping but somehow. ..I think this could be something different maybe.. .romantic," Maya gulped.

"Wait, why isn't this happening to ME?" Riley asked.

"Riley, Maya! You need to get a grip!" Farkle scoffed.

"Oh, come on, Hunk Dearest, if it WERE something romantic, wouldn't it be quite the tale for Maya and her Parisian admirer to tell their grandchildren?" Isadora asked.

"As long as we have the tickets, let's get inside and admire the water lilies paintings then see what if anything needs to be done about Maya's possible secret admirer," Rachel insisted.

. ..

Back at the Hunter Apartment, Manhattan about the same time.

"I think next week, I'll start back at Topanga's part time," Katy insisted over breakfast .

"But you've been doing her books from here for the last month. Surely she can let you stay home a little bit longer," Shawn pleaded.

"I know you do what you can designing websites but you keep stopping every time one of the twins looks around or cries or giggles. I need to take them with me so you can concentrate on your work," Katy replied.

"Take them outside? But they'll catch cold and. .." Shawn gulped.

"They can't stay inside our apartment forever. They need fresh air and they need to be around people," Katy sighed.

"But did you see how George just now smiled back when I smiled at him? And did you see how Amy giggled when I made that face? " Shawn laughed.

"So you want to stay here forever to take care of them?" Katy asked.

" I'd like that but they need you,too- and not just for your dairy access," Shawn pleaded.

" But we can't become shut ins. By the way, how were Jack and Morgan? "Katy asked.

"They were getting along surprisingly well. Oh, and she offered me a job?" Shawn replied.

" A job? Doing what?" Katy asked.

"Oh, being on her renovation team. But we've got George and Amy and I don't want to not be around them or you!" Shawn pleaded.

"Did you turn it down?" Katy inquired.

"Not exactly. I told them I had to talk it over with you," Shawn sighed.

"So would you actually want to do this if it weren't for me, Maya and the twins?" Katy asked.

" I spent too many years going in circles doing that 'Hit the Road' website. I don't want to go back on the road. I don't ever want to be away from any of you again! That's why I went into freelance web design I could do from home," Shawn explained.

"Do you want to keep doing that the rest of your life?" Katy asked.

" It actually felt good getting my hands dirty doing something besides spilling a latte on the keyboard! And I liked turning what others had said was hopeless, ruined junk into something beautiful," Shawn reflected.

"How about working with Morgan and Jack?" Katy considered.

"Morgan's tough and expects hard work but she's fair. And, surprisingly, Jack and I didn't fight or get bored to tears with each other. I think we're actually starting to like each other for who we are," Shawn gasped.

" Do you think you'd be settling or taking the easy way to keep with the web design deal?" Katy reflected.

"I've got you four to support and I'm NOT going to put our family at risk for a pipedream," Shawn groaned.

"Is it entirely a pipedream? You have the skills and the opportunity to do this," Katy pleaded.

"And what about you? Do you want to keep being Topanga's manager while trying to pursue the right part?" Shawn asked.

" For now, we've got these twins to consider and they need the dairy only I can provide. Not that many jobs will let you take tiny babies to feed them for the ride," Katy pondered.

"But there's more than one way to make your dream come true. That play about Powhatan and Pocahontas, it truly spoke to me," Shawn pondered.

"Did it really? You're not just saying that, Are you,Gorgeous?" Katy gulped.

"No, and there's a lot more you can teach! Why don't you see about coaching and teaching others who want to perform while writing more plays?" Shawn asked.

"Did Morgan say the spot would be filled if you didn't take it straight away?" Katy asked.

"No, it seems that she rotates freelance folks to do those parts of their projects so I could go part time for a bit to see how it might work," Shawn pondered.

"So, why don't you try to see how you like it while keeping the web design freelance deal going? And maybe I could see about whether to become a substitute drama teacher while keeping the spot at Topanga's for now. That way, we could each see if these dreams would be worth pursuing without putting our family's livelihood in danger," "Katy pondered.

"You realize that there'd be sacrifices regardless. Like shoes being required for the job!" Shawn laughed.

"We could see if it worked, then if it doesn't go back to what we've been doing!" Katy insisted.

"That makes sense! Great to have each others' backs!" Shawn beamed as he hugged Katy..

"How about we surf to see how Joshua Matthews did at that upstate tae kwon do tourney?" Katy asked.

"Why would we want to do that?" Shawn shrugged.

" Gain some points to Maya for us," Katy laughed.

"Sure. ..There's no tourney in that town this week!" Shawn fumed.

"Are you sure? Cory said. .." Katy gulped.

"Let's put in 'Joshua Matthews' and 'tae kwon do match' and see what we get… "Shawn insisted.

. ..

In a Parisian sidewalk café about 5PM local time. .

"So we're going to that juggling street festival tomorrow then the Louvre?" Zay asked.

"Yeah, and after the Louvre we can go to the French National Auto Museum!" Angela pondered.

"Got to have something to keep the guys interested!" Rachel laughed.

" But everyone will be interested when they see my juggling skills tomorrow!" Farkle laughed.

"Promise you won't try to juggle three Citroen cars at once!" Maya pleaded.

"Of course not. The streets would be too crowded to try that!" Farkle laughed.

"Here's our French onion soups and bread! " Riley exclaimed.

" I got a red rose with mine! Another one- with a note attached!" Maya gulped.

"What does it say?" Isadora asked.

"Just one word: _Alouette_! Like that song I heard being sung when I was napping!" Maya gulped.

"Ooh, you've got a French secret admirer! Won't Uncle Josh be jealous!" Riley laughed.

" No, because no one's going to tell him! This is getting weird. Mrs. Crenshaw,could you ask the waiter. ..?" Maya gulped.

"Say no more. . .." Angela insisted as she asked the waiter (in French) if he knew who sent Maya the red rose.

"What did he say?" Maya asked.

"He said that it was a young man in a black sweater, black pants and a black beret," Angela replied.

"That's practically the national uniform!" Lucas sighed.

"At least he's young," Isadora added.

..

. ..Later that night back at the Crenshaws' Champs Elysees townhouse. .

"They've all crashed and it's not even seven o'clock!" Rachel laughed as she came into Crenshaws' parlor with lots of family portraits of both Jared's and Angela's families as well as his portraits from his West Point class,etc.,commendations on the wall -and in a display case, Japanese warrior dolls and models of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in a display case.

" Jet lag. You think I'll have that kind of luck with this one?" Angela asked as she tapped her abdomen.

"Have no idea," Rachel laughed.

"Who'd have thought when we roomed at Pennbrook that I'd be getting ready to raise my firstborn almost when you were finished raising yours!" Angela laughed.

" I know. Lucas has definitely had his moments and it wasn't easy having to raise him solo with Pappy Joe trying to pull rank after Caleb's passing but it's truly been worth it seeing him getting close to grow up to be someone Caleb would have been proud of," Rachel reflected.

"So you're now interning in elementary schools but next year you'll be qualified to be a full teacher?" Angela asked.

"Yeah, and in another few years, Lucas will be a veterinarian," Rachel replied.

"Have you ever thought about remarrying?" Angela pondered as she took a sip of apple juice.

" No! Never!" Rachel insisted.

"You sure?" Angela asked.

" Well, Caleb was the best man I could have found- even with his clay feet and I couldn't imagine being with another for so long but now I'm starting to think that maybe it would be good to do more than flirt with Eric," Rachel pondered.

"Have you told him that?" Angela asked.

"Oh, he has his life in D.C. and in the Senate and I'm a full time student teacher intern raising Lucas solo. I can't disrupt that," Rachel protested.

"You know Eric wouldn't think it was disrupting. You each had some very hard years apart," Angela gasped.

" I know! When Topanga called me seven years back about him going missing from that . .place. Oh, it broke my heart to think he'd been locked up and he thought he had no choice but to break out and not believe any of his family or any of US could be trusted to help him, "Rachel cried.

" I know. I was still a train wreck over having broken up with Shawn and all those dates Dad tried to fix me up with were no good. I was working at the PX in Brussels when Topanga notified me about Eric and invited me to that dinner for the Matthewses," Angela recalled.

"So that's why Mrs. Matthews got Brussels sprouts confused with broccoli for Riley's plate. She was sad you didn't make it back," Rachel gasped.

" I'm not proud that I just was afraid of chancing seeing Shawn again at that dinner," Angela sighed.

"And I declined because I was afraid that, since he'd been one of Cory's Groomsmen, they'd invite Jack and I wasn't ready to see him to chance dumping on me about Caleb nor Lucas beating him up for that- had I brought him along," Rachel sighed.

"So we, Eric and the Hunter Brothers were all train wrecks back then but now we're all so much BETTER! "Angela proclaimed.

"You think?" Rachel asked.

"Absolutely! I'm married to someone I adore with much of Dad's seriousness but Shawn's playfulness- and have a baby on the way. Shawn's married to someone he loves who's encouraged him to be the man we all knew he could become- Hareton Earnshaw reborn and they're raising Maya and their new twins! Eric's goofy but happy to use his new position to do so much good for children and others in need. And even Jack's gotten into a new venue helping renovate buildings and starting to see if he and the grown-up Morgan Matthews may become more than renovation partners," Angela insisted.

"So, are you saying I should put out my heart on the line for Eric?" Rachel asked.

"You've spent all those years having to be tough for Lucas. Better to risk rejection than to never allow yourself to love again," Angela insisted.

"Thanks, Angela! " Rachel exclaimed as she hugged her longtime friend.

"We have the spare space and those kids aren't too tough to keep in line," Angela laughed.

"Yes, for that, but I was also referring to helping me make a decision about Eric," Rachel exclaimed.

"Well, you and he deserve happiness after so much loneliness," Angela proclaimed.

" So do you think Farkle won't lift any more cars or buses to stun the locals the rest of the time we're here?" Rachel laughed.

"He was trying to take Lucas's mind off the missing cowboy hat. You know that!" Angela replied.

"Well, I have a little confession. Caleb losing HIS cowboy hat at the Eiffel Tower spurred me to start our whirlwind courtship so maybe Riley will decide she can love Lucas beyond a sibling type bond," Rachel pondered.

"You want them to get married?" Angela asked.

"Not right away but she's improved a great deal since October and, with their mutual love for critters, they could have eventually have a good bond," Rachel pondered.

"Now don't you be trying to hook up my future baby with one of Shawn and Katy's twins," Angela protested as she patted her abdomen.

"No but wasn't it great that they got one of each ?" Rachel laughed.

. .

.

The next morning. .

"Come on, guys! Don't say sore!" Farkle begged.

"It was humiliating!"Isadora sniffed.

"But we won this morning's top prize," Farkle pleaded.

"YOU won this morning's top prize," Lucas fumed.

"But this was something we all were part of," Farkle pleaded.

"Yeah, yeah! But you could have warned us before you. ."Rachel fumed.

" Mrs. Friar, General Crenshaw, guys, it was a spur of the moment deal- and no one else was able to keep seven objects in the air for twenty minutes. Isn't that cool?" Farkle laughed.

"Yeah, but WE were 'the seven objects' and you didn't even ask any of us before you grabbed each of us by the shoulder and tossed us into the air like rag dolls," Maya fumed.

"Could we just go into the Louvre and get the Mona Lisa over with? I'd like to forget that whole thing," Zay fumed.

"If that thing gets YouTubed, I don't know how I'll explain it to my troops or general staff," General Crenshaw boiled.

"You looked quite handsome being tossed 100 feet into the air in a circle," Angela consoled while kissing him on the right facial cheek.

"Lucky for you, Farkle didn't want to chance that stunt risking our baby!" General Crenshaw fumed.

"And I kept my promise to Maya not to toss cars," Farkle insisted.

"Well, here we are at the Louvre. It's time to see if what they say about the Mona Lisa smiling could be true," Riley insisted as the walked to the ticket counter.

. ..

"It took some time to get through the crowd but here we are and I DO see Mona Lisa smiling. Aren't you going to try it, Maya?" Riley asked.

"I would but I'm not sure my true love would be Joshua or. ..the singing French rose man!" Maya gulped.

"You actually think you could be in love with someone you haven't even met yet?" Isadora asked.

"Well, I've gotta give him points for originality," Maya pondered.

"_Alouette gentille alouette/ Alouette je te plumerai!" _sang a black sweatered, black slacked, black espadrille clad young man - with a black cape over his head.

"Enough's enough! Let's get him Zay, and Farkle!" Lucas fumed as the three ran towards the young man who stood rooted in one spot.

"It's me, Josh!" Josh exclaimed as he took off the black cape and put back on his black beret.

"Scooby Doo, where are you?" sighed Maya.

"But you're supposed to be at that tae kwon do tourney in Orleans, New York," Riley gasped.

"No, it was the one just sixty miles from here- in France!" Joshua laughed.

"So you're the one who's been singing and leaving me roses?" Maya asked.

"Yep! I thought it would be fun for both of us! Cory once talked about how he'd had this weird dream of being a black-clad Frenchman in World War II who had amnesia but he said he never felt cooler than in that dream. And it is kind of cool!" Joshua laughed.

"But why didn't you tell me you were planning to be . ." Maya asked.

"Because with the tourney, I've been going back and forth from here to Orleans between rounds and we couldn't spend much time together but I wanted to make the times we could be together something cool and special," Josh explained.

"So how did you know Maya was going to be in the Tuilleries Garden yesterday, then the café and now at the Louvre unless you were stalking and following her around?" Angela asked.

"I wasn't and I couldn't have since I had those tourneys 60 miles away. And I didn't need to since Riley's been posting ALL your activities on her Facebook page," Josh shrugged.

"RILEY!" the entire group shouted at her.

"Well, I thought telling our plans would get me Friended more frequently on this trip," Riley explained.

"Maya, the more I know you, the more I think you're incredible and I know we've got a few years between us but I want you to consider going with me when you turn eighteen. If you don't want to, I'll be cool and leave you alone forever but I'd like you to do so," Joshua pleaded.

"So you love me? ." Maya gulped.

"Yeah, I know I do. How about you?" Joshua asked.

"Well. .." Maya gulped.

"Well, before you do anything else, we're calling the Hunters right now!" General Crenshaw insisted.

"But General Crenshaw, it's five a.m. in Manhattan right now. Can't you wait a few more hours?" Maya asked.

"Oh, I think I'd appreciate it if my future daughter's chaperones told me a would be boyfriend had snuck overseas to see her on her trip at ANY hour of the day," General Crenshaw insisted.

"Isn't he going to be the best father?" Angela laughed.

"You've got that right," Rachel added.

"Shawn, are you awake?" General Crenshaw asked via the Smartphone.

"As a matter of fact, I AM! I just spent the last two hours getting my twins changed, fed and settled down before they FINALLY went to sleep but now your phone call. ." Shawn (back in Manhattan via the Smartphone).

"Sorry to disturb you and your babies but. .." Angela added as she peered over General Crenshaw's shoulder.

" You didn't, Jared. I was about to call you all. It turns out that Cory's baby brother Joshua is in France instead of Upstate New York for a tae kwon do tourney so you guys and Rachel better make sure that he doesn't try. .." Shawn fumed (via Smartphone).

"Don't you have something to say. ..?" General Crenshaw fumed as he handed the Smartphone to Joshua (who Farkle and Lucas had carried over).

"Hello, Shawn. .I. .." Joshua gulped.

"OK, as tempting as it would be to get Mr. Minkus to fly me over to France in the next few hours to punch your lights out, I've got to stay here for my twins and Katy. Oh, and since you want to court Maya, until I say otherwise, call me and Katy 'Mr. and Mrs. Hunter'", Shawn insisted(via Smartphone).

"But you're my bro Cory's bestie!" Joshua pleaded.

"While you're thinking of courting my daughter, you'll remember that we're a generation apart and treat me with that respect ," Shawn insisted(via Smartphone).

"Yes, sir. Yes, Mr. Hunter," Joshua groaned.

"Daddy, are you going to forbid…?" Maya asked.

"No, I can't do that. But I AM going to insist that he treat you with respect AND that you respect yourself this whole time. Oh, and as long as you're in Europe, you're to only see Joshua at the Crenshaws' and Mrs. Friar's okay with one or all of them present the whole time! " Shawn insisted( via Smartphone)

"But. .." Maya gulped.

"Or would you rather have things go nuclear for you two with me, your mother and Mr. and Mrs. Matthews getting together to find ways to KEEP you and Joshua apart once all of you are back home?" Shawn asked (via Smartphone).

"No, Daddy. Even seeing Joshua surrounded by everyone else is better than not seeing him at all," Maya groaned.

"Good. Remember that me and Mr. Alan Matthews both started out as teen rebels who did all we could to try to beat the systems so, between us, we know more tricks than either of you could imagine!" Shawn insisted (via Smartphone).

"Yes, Daddy," Maya groaned.

"Now, remember that me, your Mom, George and Amy all LOVE you and if Joshua plays his cards right, we can learn to love him,too. Come on, George. Come on, Amy! Say Bye Bye to your Big Sis Maya!" "Shawn insisted as he turned the Smartphone to where they were in carriers and held one by one each of their right hands with his right hand while holding the Smartphone with his left.

"Bye! Bye! Daddy. Bye! Bye! George! Bye! Bye! Amy!" Maya proclaimed via General Crenshaw's Smartphone.

"Oh, my next round is in another four hours! Would all of you like to cheer me on in Orleans?" Joshua asked.

"That would be cool!" Maya exclaimed.

"It would beat another museum," Zay sighed.

"Well, as long as we're here. Let's find out about whether the Mona Lisa smiles on each of us," Riley exclaimed.

. ..

"She smiled on all of you but not for me. Maybe I'll have to seek out love when I get back to Manhattan, "Zay exclaimed as they exited the Louvre about an hour later (Joshua having left to make his way back to Orleans).

"I'm amazed . . She smiled on me after all these years but being with Caleb was a past. . " Rachel sighed.

"You sure?" Angela laughed.

Suddenly three men dressed in Egyptian costumes zoomed into the Central Courtyard via Segways disguised as chariots in front of the Louvre's Glass Pyramid.

"Bring me my Chariot of Fire!" Eric (in Ancient Egyptian attire with a helmet cape, bracelets, apron and sandals) exclaimed.

"Eric? What are you _doing_ here?" Rachel gulped.

"That's a very good question, Mrs. Friar," Agent La Chance groaned (also in Ancient Egytian attire on Eric's right).

"It wasn't our idea," T.J. (in Egyptian attire on Eric's left) added.

" Well, I'm here for a Senatorial fact finding mission here in Paris- and since Riley's Facebook page said you all were at the Louvre and in the middle of the Louvre is a pyramid so why not be Egyptian?" Eric laughed.

" We're lucky we didn't crash these Segway chariots!It's like looking through ice cubes without my glasses," T.J. groaned.

"I told you, glasses weren't authentic to Ancient Egypt," Eric laughed.

"Nor are Segways, Senator Matthews," Agent La Chance groaned.

"Eric, why didn't you just phone us you were in Paris and we could have caught up that way?" Rachel laughed.

"And miss a chance to go for a Segway chariot ride around a pyramid? " Eric laughed.

"Lucas, are you sure . ..?" Maya started to ask when at that moment, another rogue breeze blew a cowboy hat onto Lucas's head.

"No, it couldn't be!" Lucas gulped as he pulled the hat off his head.

"It's filthy and nasty!" Riley exclaimed.

"Wait! That hat's familiar!" Rachel gulped.

Lucas looked inside the rim.

"' C. L. Friar- Austin,TX,' It's DADDY's old hat!" Lucas gulped.

"You sure about that?" Angela gulped.

"Yeah, here's a picture of the two of us just before we went up the Eiffel Tower back then," Rachel insisted as she scrolled her Smartphone for that picture of herself and the late Caleb Friar wearing that exact style and color of hat- albeit much cleaner.

"It IS his hat! Well, if Paris has returned Daddy's hat to my head, then go head and take my Mama out for a chariot ride, Senator Eric!" Lucas laughed while Riley hugged him- in a non-sibling way.

"Angela. . what do you think?" Rachel gulped.

"Look, me and Jared can guide the kids through Paris for the next few hours on our own- as long as you and Eric join all of us in Orleans for Joshua's tourney!" Angela laughed.

"OK, Eric how about taking me to the Obelisk in the Tuilleries, next?" Rachel laughed as she climbed on board Eric's chariot.

"How long do we have to stay in these costumes and on these Segway chariots, Mr. Murphy?" Agent LaChance asked.

"Just about two more hours by which time the batteries will run out and we'll need to return them. It's not easy keeping Eric out of trouble but it's worth the ride!" T.J. laughed.

"Yeah, it is!" Rachel laughed as Eric zoomed forward and the other followed him.

. .

For the rest of the trip, everyone would be taking in more tourist sights and exploring Paris's streets on their own . Seeing the catacombs was Zay's highlight while seeing the Sarbonne where Louis Pasteur as well as Pierre and Marie Curie studied was Farkle and Isadora's favorite spot. Maya did quite a few sketches while she was there mainly of Parisian venues and sites but her sketches of Joshua as a Parisian and flying in the air in his tae kwon do uniform in Orleans seemed her most energetic.

When they returned to Manhattan, Zay met General Crenshaw's young Japanese cousin Miko who had just enrolled at Abigail Adams High and the two of them started their own ties.

Riley and Lucas took things to a more heated level (albeit under their parents' watchful eye) while Maya and Joshua decided to get to know each other platonically as well as possible before her eighteenth birthday ( with Shawn, Katy, Alan and Amy's guarded blessing).Farkle and Isadora's bond only intensified- as did Eric and Rachel's. Oh, and Lucas got his late father's cowboy hat professionally cleaned by a dry cleaner then decided to wear it only for special occasions.

A-N-_ONE MORE CHAPTER_!


	20. Graduation and the United Extended Famil

Graduation and United Extend Family (Chapter Twenty)

June, 2019-Hunter Apartment (Early Morning)-

Maya was in a deep sleep - dreaming of herself and Joshua starting to run towards each other from opposite sides of a meadow when. . She felt an earthquake happen then suddenly fell off a cliff and onto. ..

"OW! Guys!" the green nightgowned 18-year-old Maya Hunter fumed as she awoke having fallen on the bedside floor squarely on her backside due to her twin siblings George and Amy bouncing on her mattress.

"My-my! Wake up! My-my! Wake up!" the red pajama clad 2-year-old blond, blue-eyed George Hunter insisted.

"What the . .fur hat? It's 5 in the morning!" Maya groaned as she looked at her bedside alarm clock.

"We know! My-my! Read us a story! Read us a story. PLEASE!" the yellow pajama clad 2-year-old brunette, brown-eyed Amy Hunter begged.

"Why aren't you in your rooms and why aren't you asleep?" Maya asked as she got off the floor and while trying to crawl back into her bed.

"We got bored there and we wanted a story!" George insisted.

"But why me and not Mommy and Daddy?" Maya sighed.

"Because you're gurgitating today and won't be around much the rest of the summer. You said so last night, " Amy replied.

"That's _graduating_! Yes, I'm getting that diploma then I'll be interning with Mrs. Minkus helping to design clothes for the J.B. Minkus line in addition to helping out at the Feeny Foundation and at Dandelion Fields until I start at Juliard late August," Maya explained as she got out of the covers.

"But why won't you be here? Don't you love us, or Mommy and Daddy anymore?" Amy asked while George nodded.

"Amy, someday you'll make a great _mother-in-law_. Yes, of course I love all of you and always will," Maya explained as she hugged them.

"Then, why, My-my?" George asked.

"It's because you two need to stay home to be taken care of by Mommy and Daddy until you're ready to go to school .I'm grown up so I'm finished with high school. I'm ready to start making my way in the world. Do you understand?" Maya asked as she started to pull them off her bed and led them towards their own bedrooms.

"Do you think we can go meet Julie Lard?" Amy asked.

"That's Julliard. And it's a college not a person! Sure you can one day if you are willing to dream a cool dream and work hard to make it happen," Maya laughed.

"Did you always think you could do it?" George asked.

"When I was about your age, I thought I might become a dragonfly princess but then I got sad for a long time and thought dreams and hope were for suckers," Maya sighed.

"What happened?" Amy asked.

"I explained it to you. Daddy is daddy to ALL of us and always will be forever but he wasn't always mine and my . ..original daddy left me and Mommy all by ourselves and we got scared," Maya sighed.

"Why?" George asked.

"Because we didn't know what was going to happen to us. Then one day Daddy came and knew he loved Mommy and wanted the best for both of us so that's how he became my daddy and encouraged Mommy and me to dream again," Maya explained.

"You mean Daddy was Prince Charming?" Amy asked.

" I guess he was but it took Mommy's kiss to awaken HIM to become that!" Maya reflected.

"But why do we have to stay with Mrs. Morgenstern during your gurg. .grah du ay shun?" Amy asked as Maya mouthed the word for her after gently putting her index finger on her toddler sister's mouth.

"Because you two tornadoes wouldn't enjoy sitting still for a couple hours, listening to boring speeches and you might get lost in the crowd when everyone cheers. Mommy and Daddy have explained this to you," Maya recounted as she led them to George's room.

"Yes, but we want to hear it from you!" George insisted.

"Now Daddy, Uncle Cory, Uncle Jonathan, Uncle Jack,Nana and Mr. Minkus will all take lots of footage of this which you can see one day when you're interested," Maya explained as she opened the door to George's room.

"Will Uncle Eric be there,too?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, and I know he's also a tornado but all of us who love him love him for how he is. And you'll see him with everyone else at the big party at Topanga's this afternoon!" Maya laughed as she started to lead George back to his bed

"OK, thanks for telling us that story about you, Mommy and Daddy. You think one day I'll grow up to be like him, Grandpa Alan, Boingo Josh or Mr. Neefy?" George asked.

" That's Feeny but yes, those all would be great goals to go for. But how about Uncle Cory?"Maya asked.

"He's nice but I don't want to whine like him," George snorted.

"Let's keep that to ourselves, George and Amy," Maya laughed.

"Why?" George asked.

"Because it would keep things cool if you did," Maya explained.

"Oh," George replied but Maya wasn't sure he quite understood.

"Who would you like to grow up to be like Amy?" Maya asked.

" You, Mommy, Nana, Grandma Amy, Mrs. Neef - Feeny or Aunt Topanga would be cool," Amy reflected.

"Isn't it great that you guys have so many cool folks you can choose from?"Maya asked.

"Uh huh!" George and Amy said together.

"But never forget that each of you is unique. Now, back to your beds and stay put until Mommy and Daddy wake you up," Maya insisted as she tucked George into his bed, kissed him on the forehead and started to lead Amy back to her room.

"But I have to go potty!" George insisted.

"Me,too! "Amy added.

"OK, I'll lead you guys to the bathroom, then wipe you down then put you back to your beds, tuck you in and THEN you stay put until Mommy and Daddy wake you up, " Maya sighed as she pulled the covers off George's bed and led him and Amy towards the bathroom.

. . .

" I think the twins woke Maya again. You want me to get that?" Shawn asked he put his feet onto the floor in their bedroom.

"Nah, she's got this one and this will be good for her to keep corralling them in mind while she and Joshua court," Katy laughed as she grabbed his right arm which prompted Shawn to put his feet back under the covers.

"In a few hours, our daughter graduates and with honors- to boot! Isn't that cool?" Shawn exclaimed.

"Yeah, it sure is! But we can think about that after cuddling. OK, Gorgeous!" Katy laughed as she kissed Shawn and stroked his beard while he embraced her.

"Never imagined I'd enjoy cuddles as much as I have," Shawn laughed.

.. .

-Graduation Day Abigail Adams High Auditorium (later that morning)

"Mother, don't be upset!" Farkle pleaded backstage.

" You had a perfect 4.0 average and all those extra credit activities but what do you? Blow Driver's Ed.," Jennifer fumed.

"Mother, I was just trying to show I could parallel park in a tiny spot by squeezing the car into it," Farkle sputtered.

" Yes, but did you have to get out of the car to actually squeeze it like an accordion before carrying it to the spot? " Jennifer boiled.

"Well, the boy did show initiative by compressing the car against a stone wall to half its former length. Not every student has the brains or strength to do that. Too bad it wasn't drivable after that even after Farkle stretched it back out, "Minkus shrugged.

"You're one to make excuses! You blew your own chance of being the John Adams Valedictorian by flunking science," Jennifer fumed.

"Shh! Not so loud! I should have gotten the Nobel Prize for my project instead of that happening," Minkus sputtered.

" Your project escaped and ate every single streetlight in a mile radius before the SWAT team took it down!" Jennifer recalled.

"Well, if I have to take the 2nd spot, I'm happy Number One is who it is since she's shown a great deal of improvement through hard work these last three years," Farkle offered.

"And we Minkuses STILL ahead of the Lawrence-Matthews A average," Minkus smirked.

"Why do you think young Miss Matthews didn't keep that up after Freshman year as much as she had in Middle School?" Jennifer asked.

"Perhaps the curriculum proved more challenging than Riley had anticipated," Farkle offered.

" Hmmph! I have my suspicions but what's done is done," Jennifer sniffed.

"Mother, please try to stay nice to her and Maya at least until the Ceremony is over," Farkle pleaded.

"I'm always nice," Jennifer sniffed.

"Jennifer, nobody's that naïve ," Minkus groaned with an eye roll.

" Young Miss Hunter actually has lived up to Farkle's hype of her these last few years," Jennifer insisted.

" Mother, thank you for hiring her!" Farkle beamed as he gently hugged Jennifer.

" Miss Hunter showed me that she was the most competent, qualified and hardworking of all the applicants. It had nothing to do with your liking of her," Jennifer sniffed.

"Well, I'm happy you did so anyway! " Farkle insisted.

"I don't care if you two can crush boulders into powder, I miss you the three of us giving each other bear hugs before your transformations, " Jennifer groaned.

"Mother, we'll always treasure our time with you as the eons zoom by, " Farkle insisted.

" It would be nice if you two got at least one planet winding up worshipping me by then," Jennifer sighed.

.

. .

"You look quite sharp in your Faculty Cap and Gown, Cor!" Shawn proclaimed.

"Well, it's one of the perks of the job," Cory laughed.

"Odd seeing you in a suit instead of jeans, flannel shirts and work boots," Cory laughed.

"Well, I had to dress up for this one . Jack and Morgan also took the day off from our reno projects to see Maya and Riley ! Not every day my eldest gets the parchment!" Shawn reflected.

" Cool," Cory replied.

"And today our daughters get that parchment or whatever the NYC system prints it off of these days. Three years ago, I couldn't have imagined this would be in my offing much less corralling twin two-year-old tornadoes but this is IT!" Shawn laughed.

"These last three years with you around have been among the happiest of my life, Shawnny," Cory gulped.

"Same here- even with the bumps we've had to deal with," Shawn exclaimed.

"Bumps?" Cory asked.

"Yeah, like Thanksgiving Sunday of '16 when Katy found out the whole truth about the five of us trespassing and vandalizing during the Feeny Dig. It took some time for all of us to hear the end of that one," Shawn reflected.

"I still haven't heard the end of it from Topanga. I make it a point never to say the words 'Thanksgiving' and 'Sunday' in the same paragraph if I can help it," Cory admitted.

"But she was part of that whole mess," Shawn protested.

"Exactly- and, as a result, Topanga got called out by three civilians- Mr. Feeny, Dad and Katy. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't shoot down their cases against her actions and inactions during the Feeny Dig. She didn't like that at all," Cory groaned.

"Sorry you've had to deal with that flak Cory," Shawn sighed.

"Don't be. You know I love and admire Topanga more than just about anyone else in the world but she likes to believe she's perfect and can never be wrong so it was good to see her get knocked down a few pegs that time by folks who hadn't studied the bar like she had," Cory half-laughed.

" In any case, just because our daughters won't be going to the same college doesn't mean our bond's done yet! Auggie's set to be a teen in a few years right about when George and Amy get into kindergarten and we've got middle and old age to stare down!" Shawn reflected.

" For so long, I thought you'd never find your way back but it's so awesome you're here with us and that my folks, Mr. Turner and the Feenys all lived to see it," Cory sniffed.

"So there's no hard feelings about Maya having. .." Shawn pondered.

"Nah, not from me! She's earned it! If Riley wants to hold any grudge about it, I'm willing to let her stew in her own over it," Cory proclaimed.

"Riley's improved a great deal as a person these past two and a half years not being so overwhelming to her friends and, more importantly, treating you, Topanga and herself with respect!" Shawn insisted.

"That's really the key to life is learning to treat oneself with respect no matter what happens," Cory insisted.

"True that! Too many years I didn't do that and rejected too many lifelines thrown my way," Shawn sighed.

"But you're here now!" Cory insisted as he hugged Shawn.

"Yeah, who'd have thought Stuart had it right by being Mr. Feeny's pet while I was just stupid," Shawn sighed.

"Not stupid! Just stubborn," Minkus laughed as he suddenly seemed to pop up.

"How did you. .?" Cory asked.

"And we're all here to see our children take that crucial step for adulthood. I only hope Farkle recalls what his youth and adolescence were like in the eons ahead," Minkus reflected as he put his hands on Shawn's and Cory's shoulders.

"Now, Stuart. Do you truly plan to just step aside from Minkus International and let Farkle run the world?" Shawn asked.

"Of course not," Minkus replied.

" I didn't think so," Cory sniffed.

"I intend to be the Co-Guardian of the Milky Way while he gets used to running this planet. Yes, it wasn't just sheer vainglory on my part that spurred me to transform my own and Farkle's physiques to the invincible, immortal mode," Minkus insisted.

"OK, you said something about discovering something doing a math problem in the 6th grade, right?" Shawn asked.

"Yes, it was during the time Mr. Feeny asked if there was a math formula for two men washing a car when I wound up trying to work out whether time flowed via a steady stream instead of random bursts repeating when I somehow popped out of this planet into another plane or dimension when I found the answer," Minkus explained.

_A/N- So, yes, readers since the original BWM had Minkus have this happen in their AU, that's why Minkus and Farkle have been able to have these Ultimate Revenge of the Nerds feats occur in this AU. _

"Really, Stuart? "Cory scoffed.

"Yes, and there I discovered what it took to transform a few kooky ideas into my current international corporate conglomerate AND the fact that Farkle and I have unique DNAs that have been capable of having our bodies transformed into us being effective galaxy guardians who will safeguard untold quadrillions of forms of intelligent life from harm for eons! " Minkus insisted.

"But. ." Cory sputtered.

"You thought you just were able to wish me away the last day of 6th Grade? Nah, I had discovered the ability to randomly transport myself to virtually any point of the galaxy by sheer will and took that time to study the Ring Nebula up close," Minkus laughed.

"Look, if it turns out you and Farkle just lucked out for a few years or decades getting superhuman strength, then we'll all have a good laugh when it's all over but if it turns out that you two will be here for eternity, then we'll enjoy the ride and you can name a comet after me and Cory in a few million years," Shawn laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind, Shawn! Any luck with getting those new art supplies for the Feeny Foundation?" Minkus asked.

" The kids should have it there this afternoon! We're all stopping by there after our party at Topanga's and we can catch Harley & Claire up on stuff," Shawn laughed.

"Good! How are Jack and Morgan doing these days?" Minkus asked.

" Jack and Morgan got engaged last week and you know that Senator Eric and Lucas's mother Rachel got engaged the week before. I'm not sure how far apart those weddings are going to have to be to keep those two grooms from clashing," Shawn laughed.

"At least they quit fighting over who was supposed to wind up with Rachel," Cory shrugged.

"And how is working on those renovation projects with them, Shawn?" Minkus asked.

"Actually, better than I would have imagined. Jack's showed Morgan and me the best legit ways to make the most of our monies earned from the renovations so not only have I got Maya's Juliard tuition covered and have a good start for the twins' future tuition but I will actually be able to buy a vacation cottage in Fiji in the next few years which Katy and I may eventually retire to,"Shawn explained.

" So do you think Katy will be ready to teach drama full time next year?" Minkus asked.

"She's been having the time of her life at Abigail Adams teaching drama part time these days while we both corral our little ones! Between construction, renovation, photography and poetry from me; art, design and music from Maya and drama, costume,play writing and set construction from Katy, our little ones will have lots of options they can choose from! " Shawn proclaimed

"Mr. Turner, we weren't expecting. .." Minkus sputtered.

"Normally, I'd have blown off the last day of citywide bureaucratic red tape and gone with Laura and little Sean for a long weekend in our Long Island beach house but my bestie Eli's got laryngitis so I've got to sub for this Ceremony!" Mr. Turner explained.

"Great you could make it, Jonathan. It's a big day in the Hunter, Matthews and Minkus clans!" Shawn exclaimed as he hugged Mr. Turner

"So does Little Amy still like younger men because Little Sean seemed interested in her during their last playdate in spite of Little George wrestling him?" Mr. Turner asked.

"They're only three months apart and they're all single digits. You're as bad as Rachel Friar trying to get George with the Crenshaws' daughter Daphnée!" Shawn scoffed.

"It's easier to deal with offspring's pairings if you have known quantities, "Minkus reflected.

"I'm thankful Auggie's got Ava and I gotta admit that Lucas is probably good for Riley. You're finally cool with my Baby Bro Joshua with Maya, Shawn?"

Cory asked.

"He respected me, her and himself despite Katy's and my rules and they're now both of age so, yeah, I'm cool, "Shawn shrugged.

. ..

"Now for the Valedictorian of Abigail Adams Class of 2019, Maya Penelope Hunter! You and Katy did it, Shawn! " Mr. Turner exclaimed.

"Thank you, Uncle Jonathan! When I first got here, I didn't think I'd not drop out but then Daddy not only helped heal Mom and me but he encouraged me to do my best. He told me that when he graduated John Adams High all those years ago, Aunt Topanga was Valedictorian but she let him speak and he said then he regretted not doing his best when he was in high school. So I'm thankful that he ,Mom and Nana have encouraged me to do mine because now I'm doing what I love in art, music and designing clothes and am looking forward to Juliard in August and I'm thankful I have the support of the boy I love Joshua Matthews who's also encouraged me to live up to more potential than I thought I had had. Also, I'd like to thank my friends Farkle Minkus and Isadora Smackle for helping to encourage me to embrace science and studying as well as my bestie Riley Matthews for being there for all of us while letting us thrive on our own. Lastly, I want to thank my favorite teacher Mr. Cory Matthews for his fairness and encouragement and our families' mentors for two generations and counting, Mr. George and Mrs. Lila Bolander Feeny. This diploma is for all of you -and especially for the tornadic two my baby brother and sister, George and Amy. Dream, believe and do good, Little Ones! " Maya wearing a golden silk gown beneath the graduate gown exclaimed as she finished her speech.

"Thank you, Miss Hunter! And now presenting Abigail Adams High Class of 2019! "Mr. Turner exclaimed as hundreds of caps got tossed into the air- along with Lucas Friar's father's cowboy hat to the cheers of the whole auditorium.

. ..

. .. .

_Mr. Lucas Caleb Friar is pleased to announce the impending marriage of his mother_

_Mrs. Rachel Kimberly McGuire Friar_

_To Senator Eric Randall Matthews (the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Eric Matthews) on Saturday, June 6,2020 at Dandelion Fields' Church and Reception Hall to be performed by the Reverends George Hamilton Feeny and Lydia Veronica Bolling._

_Mrs. Friar is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jason Trent (Nadia Cassidy) McGuire and the granddaughter of Mrs. Annie Donegal Cassidy and the late Mr. Seamus Cassidy and the late Mr. and Mrs. Rory McGuire._

_Senator Matthews is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alan Matthews and the late Mr. and Mrs. David "Sam" Bernard Cohen_.

. . . .

. .

_Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Patrick (Katy Grace Hart) Hunter are pleased to announce the impending marriage of their daughter_

_Ms. Maya Penelope Hunter_

_To Mr. Joshua Gabriel Matthews (youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Eric Matthews) on Saturday June 6,2020 at Dandelion Fields' Church and Reception Hall to be performed the Reverends George Hamilton Feeny and Lydia Veronica Bolling._

_Ms. Hunter is the granddaughter of Reverend Lydia Veronica Bolling and the late Mr. Chet Hunter and the late Sgt. Martin Peter Alveira and the late Ms. Katharine Christine Daly._

_Mr. Matthews is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alan Matthews and the late Mr. and Mrs. David "Sam"Bernard Cohen._

. ..

_Mr. and Mrs. Alan Eric (Amy Rebecca Cohen) Matthews are pleased to announce the impending marriage of their daughter_

_Ms. Morgan LeFay Matthews_

_To Mr. Jack Chet Hunter (the son of Mrs. Elaine McGinty Hunter Connor and the late Mr. Chet Hunter) on Saturday, June 6,2020 at Dandelion Fields' Church and Reception Hall to be performed by the Reverends George Hamilton Feeny and Lydia Veronica Bolling._

_Ms. Matthews is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Alan Matthews and the late Mr. and Mrs. David "Sam" Bernard Cohen._

_Mr. Hunter is the grandson of Mrs. Helena Romano McGinty and the late Mr. Roland McGinty and the late Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Hunter_

. ..

_Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Angus (Topanga Walburga Lawrence) Matthews are pleased to announce the impending marriage of their daughter_

_Ms. Riley Chloe Matthews_

_To Mr. Lucas Caleb Friar (the son of Mrs. Rachel McGuire Friar and the late Mr. Caleb Lucas Friar) on Saturday, June 6,2020 at Dandelion Fields' Church and Reception Hall to be performed by the Reverends George Hamilton Feeny and Lydia Veronica Bolling._

_Ms. Matthews is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Eric Matthews, Ms. Rhiannon Chloe Curtis Lawrence Prescott and the late Mr. Jedidiah Peter Lawrence._

_Mr. Friar is the grandson of Mr. Joseph Caleb Friar and the late Mrs. Sally Pearl Houston Friar and the late Mr. and Mrs. Jason Trent McGuire_ .

. ..

. . .

. .

" Eric, I'm going to get you for this!" Jack fumed at Dandelion Fields' Church on Saturday, June 6,2020 that morning as the grooms, groomsmen and bridal fathers all were getting into their suits.

"Hey! I thought you were cool with me marrying Rachel and you marrying Morgan," Eric gulped.

"No, not that! Fine to have kept our bachelor party booze free but charades? Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey? A piñata? "Jack fumed.

"Hey! Don't be mad because I'm the one who smashed it and I got that cactus candy inside!" Eric exclaimed while smacking his lips.

"Who thought up that bachelor party anyway? Mister Rogers?" Jack fumed.

"No, you can give credit to Cory and me! We're both having our young daughters getting married to fine young gentlemen- and we're keeping all of them fine until Mama and Reverend Feeny pronounce the lot of you married!" Shawn insisted.

"Not to mention, Shawn, Dad and me are all married men and we're not about to get into anything that could mess up OUR marriages," Cory laughed.

"Yeah, but Eric and I've been to the rodeo more than once before this last roundup. Not to mention that Rachel's… " Jack sneered.

"Jack! You're talking about my bridal suite!" Eric warned with a fist.

" I was going to say that Rachel's been married before and had a son so she's not entirely new at this and Morgan. .." Jack started to say.

"NO! NO! NO! Peas and carrots! Peas and carrots! Morgan's saved herself for you all these years until your honeymoon! Peas and carrots!" Cory shouted while putting his hands over his ears.

"Come on. Don't be a baby, Cory. Morgan's thirty. .." Jack started to say

"You do want to walk instead of being wheeled down the aisle to marry my only daughter, right Jack?" Alan warned as he put his right arm around Jack's shoulders

"Fine, Mr. Matthews," Jack sighed.

"Now, of course, I'm going to welcome you to our family and you, Rachel and young Maya will all be able to join Topanga in calling me 'Dad' and Amy 'Mom' but you're not quite there yet," Alan laughed.

"Dad, I think I got Eric and Rachel to join Maya and my votes so how about we have a barefoot wedding in a few hours?" Joshua pleaded.

" The tailors measured the suits pants' legs to be worn with shoes and we're nowhere near a beach!" Alan insisted.

"Besides, you don't want to chance me and Pappy Joe steppin' on any toes with our boots on," Lucas shrugged.

"You've done it before and I've stomped back on them twice as hard," Josh insisted as he flexed his biceps.

"Easy there, Unky! " Lucas laughed.

"You live and go to school in New York and we agreed to let you wear your late father's cowboy hat to the wedding despite it being inside Miss Lydia's church so why be so Texan here?" Joshua fumed.

" Cause we ARE Texan! " Lucas laughed.

" You sure you're up to this dynastic deal of Hunters, Matthewses and Friars all becoming one big family tree maze?" Shawn laughed.

"Well, it will be tricky to complain about the in-laws but, yeah, it's something we've all wanted for decades, " Jack laughed as they hugged.

. ..

"How are the corralled grooms doing back in the stockyard, Gorgeous?" Katy asked as he came back to the bridal section of the church.

"They're starting to chomp at the bit somewhat but they all seem ready to get married. No cold feet in spite of Joshua still trying to make it a barefoot wedding!" Shawn laughed.

"George wants to trade places with Amy. I told him boys are ring bearers and girls are flower tossers," Katy sighed.

"In spite of only having me against you three, he's a typical three-year-old boy. I'll see what the deal is," Shawn pondered.

. .

"Daddy. Why can't I throw the flowers?" George stomped while trying to undo his small tie.

"Don't do that, George!" Amy snapped at him.

"Daddy, Can Amy. .?" George asked.

"She's right. Leave the tie as 's only for a little while," Shawn cautioned.

"But Daddy what about the flowers?" George asked.

" Why do want to throw the flowers anyway? You'd be bringing four whole rings up to the front!" Shawn explained.

"Yeah, but they're all light but throwing flowers would be like practicing pitching!" George insisted.

" Not exactly and does Amy want to trade places?" Shawn asked.

"No, I don't! " Amy insisted.

"But. .." George started to say.

" Do you think it would be fair to Amy?" Shawn asked.

"No but how about we get someone else to be the ring bearer then me and Amy could both throw out stuff?" George asked.

"Well…" Shawn started to say.

"Please, Daddy?" George pleaded.

"OK, Son! I'll see what I can do and IF I can find another small child who can do the ring thing then MAYBE you can toss seed packets and Amy can toss flowers to the crowd," Shawn sighed.

"YAY!" George exclaimed as he jumped up and down.

" I said 'if' and 'maybe' and you've gotta promise me to not throw them at anyone's face or eyes!" Shawn insisted.

. ..

"You ARE? Whoa! That's amazing, Rachel!" Angela exclaimed as she hugged Rachel in the dressing room.

"Yeah, not even Eric knows this yet but I'm going to have to tell him before the service starts!" Rachel insisted.

"So you sure about this. I mean, you just finished raising Lucas. And Eric. ..well, you know," Angela gulped.

" He's wise when it counts and he'll be even more vigilant watching out for our baby than he is for other children in need," Rachel reflected.

"But how are you going to. I mean, you brides aren't supposed to see your grooms until. ." Angela gulped.

"That's where New Millennial texting comes in handy to route around these old traditions," Rachel laughed.

"I guess a text is better than having this sent back and forth by smoke signal or Shawn," Angela laughed as they heard a knock.

"Are you ladies presentable?" Shawn asked on the other side.

"Yes. Is there something you need to tell us about Eric?" Rachel asked.

"No, I need to talk to Angela for just a minute. You can stay if you want," Shawn insisted.

"I've got to send this vital text to Eric and Tommy so I'll leave you two be for now," Rachel related as Shawn came into their dressing room.

"You two look great! " Shawn exclaimed.

"Thanks but is there anything else you need to tell me?" Angela asked.

" There's been a slight change of plans. George doesn't want to be the Ring Bearer so he can toss the seed packets with Amy tossing the flowers so I was wondering if Daphnée could be do the job?" Shawn explained.

"Let me find out. Now, Honey. Mommy and Mr. Hunter would like you to do a very important thing. Could you slowly walk down ahead of everyone else while holding a pillow with two hands then hold it up and then hand them the pillow when they ask for it?" Angela asked her 30 month old daughter while kneeling to the floor.

"Will Georgie be there?" Daphnée (in a flowered sundress with her hair in braids but with her paternal grandmother's slanted eyes) asked.

"Sure, it's kinda his idea!" Shawn laughed while also kneeling.

"Remember, it's somewhat like when Daddy has to stand at attention reviewing his soldiers," Angela reminded her.

"OK, I can do it" Daphnée giggled.

"Good girl!" Angela laughed.

" Georgie and Amy are around the corner. Would you like to see them again so you three can go over your parts? Your Mommy, Daddy and I will all remind you three one last time before it's time," Shawn gently insisted before Angela kissed her on the head and she ran to join her playmates.

"She sure seems happy and amazingly unspoiled," Shawn laughed.

"So are your twins- despite their incredible energy!" Angela laughed.

" Could I ask you why you and Jared picked those names for Daphnée?" Shawn asked.

"Sure. Daphnée is for my maternal grandmother who'd been born in Haiti while Aiko is Jared's maternal grandmother's name," Angela reflected.

"Haiti? So you and Daphnée are descended from folks who actually had the first successful slave revolt since Sparticus? That's amazing! " Shawn laughed.

" I have to admit that I didn't know that until I reconnected with my mother Michele," Angela sighed.

"So, how did that go?" Shawn asked.

"It turns out that she has had a longtime alcohol problem and essentially went away for treatments when I thought she just was vacationing as a child then one time never came back," Angela sighed.

" I'm sorry to hear that. No wonder you hated my drinking. I hope you don't regret finding her," Shawn sighed as he hugged Angela.

"You were right! I needed to find out the truth. She's actually fairly nice to Daphnée- when she's clean," Angela sighed.

"So you don't let them have unsupervised . .." Shawn gulped.

" I wish I could but there's no reason for my child to see her grandmother drunk so I have to make sure she's sober when we see her then stay vigilant the whole time. I've had to end more than one visit when I thought she had snuck a shot," Angela sighed.

"That sucks it has to be like that," Shawn groaned.

"Yes, it does and I'll tell Daphnée what she needs to know as she gets older so she can make her own choices with Michele as an adult but I can't chance her seeing stuff she doesn't need to see or think I condone. Is that awful of me?" Angela explained.

"No, Angela. You're being the best parent possible to her!" Shawn insisted.

"You really think so?" Angela asked.

"For too many years after his death, I put Chet on a pedestal . Even as late as when I found out George and Amy were on the way, I imagined if he were living that I'd have had him visit them but stayed vigilant the whole time and not let them be unsupervised with him . However, by the time they were born with Mama having told me her side which put together so many unmatched ugly puzzle pieces about him and Virna. Well. . if he were still living today, no way would I let Chet near my Katy or my babies for any reason and I'd tell them all exactly why! "Shawn sighed.

"I can't blame you there. Have you ever heard from Virna or any of the other Hunters since. ..?" Angela asked.

"NOPE and, you know, since Chet was actually the best of that lot, it's truly been for the best!" Shawn insisted.

"So you think I'm doing right by Daphnée with Michele?" Angela asked.

"That's up to you and Jared but ,from what you've told me, at least Michele isn't deliberately harmful or exploitive but I can't say I can remember more than a handful of times when Chet wasn't that way with me," Shawn groaned.

"Come on, Shawn! Cheer up! In another two hours, your daughter, your brother and my bestie are all getting married to Matthewses so we're all joining a fantastic extended family! "Angela insisted.

"You're right, Angela!" Shawn exclaimed.

"And, thanks to the Minkus DNA HOORAY, I've found out that I'm a 5th cousin one-removed to Riley Matthew's fiance's Lucas's Best Man Isaiah Babineaux through a common Haitian ancestor! "Angela laughed.

"So Jared doesn't mind his cousin Miko dating such a close in-law?" Shawn laughed.

" We've got nothing on your new big family!" Angela giggled.

. ..

"What happened?" Cory asked as Eric collapsed.

" I don't know. We were standing there one minute then Eric took out his phone and. ." T.J. gulped.

"Wake up, Senator Matthews!" Agent LaChance pleaded.

**Rachel**:Eric, the doc's confirmed the test's positive. We're having our own baby in seven months time!

"Hoo boy! Eric! Eric! Wake up!" Cory and T.J. shouted as soon as they saw the above text.

"Huhn. Oh, I had the wackiest dream. I dreamt I got elected Senator and Rachel came back to me then…" Eric gulped then fainted again.

"Shoot! Snap out of it, Scalawag! My boy went through the same thing!" Pappy Joe Friar snorted.

"Mr. Friar, tell him how your son managed fine -and he &Rachel didn't have the Senatorial health network to help them," T.J. pleaded.

"Hey, Little Big Man, we always had running water! " Pappy Joe snorted.

"What's going on here? "Farkle asked.

"Oh, his high and mighty step pappy to-be's got news that Lucas is going to be a big brother!" Pappy Joe explained while pointing to Eric seated on the floor with his head between his knees.

" Didn't you have that reaction with Isadora?" Lucas asked.

"No. We'd been married a few months but that was Mother's reaction. I'm still a bit flummoxed that in another six months another generation of Minkus is set to see the light!" Farkle laughed.

"So I'm going to be a big brother and a. .." Lucas beamed.

"GROOM! In two more hours, you're going to be a GROOM- and don't you forget it," Zay gulped as he put his hand over Lucas's mouth.

"Funny how Lucas's reacted to becoming a brother," Cory laughed while Alan gulped.

"Jack, why don't you take Cory to see if Shawn might need your help to see if there's anything Topanga, Riley or Maya could use about now," Alan pleaded.

"But if I go there, won't I chance seeing Morgan before the. ..?" Jack gulped.

"Just drop Cory off then scurry on back here!" Alan said with gritted teeth.

"Cory, let's go see if Shawn needs our help!" Jack gulped before quickly leading Cory away.

"Alan, you be thinking what I'm thinking?" Pappy Joe whispered.

"Yeah, we may be related by more than just marriage before too long. If so, somebody better hogtie Cory before he makes the connection," Alan groaned.

. ..

.

"Daddy, what do you think?" Maya asked as she opened the door and wore a baby blue lace floor-length gown with orange blossoms in her hair and open-toed blue leather sandals.

"You may be shorter than the other three but you're going to outshine those other brides!" Shawn proclaimed.

"Are you ready for this?" Maya asked.

"Intellectually, I know you and Joshua have done everything right, love each other and do right be each other but emotionally, I wish I could have raised you from birth so I won't have to see you grow up so fast," Shawn sighed as he hugged Maya on the shoulders.

" I know, Daddy. But these four years have been the best of mine and Mom's lives so far and now Joshua's joining the five of us!" Maya exclaimed.

"I know you're sure about this and are ready but what about the other thing?" Shawn asked.

"I didn't expect Kermit and his new wife or kids to actually accept the invite but, good or bad, they're part of our story,too. Is Mom really okay with that?" Maya asked.

"She says she's somewhat replaced anger with indifference for him and, for your sake, she's ready to be civil today. But say the word, I can get Mama to have Helma bar them from here!" Shawn insisted.

"What about you, Daddy?" Maya asked.

" Oddly enough, if I hadn't known how badly his neglect and abandonment had damaged you and your mother, I might have become friends with him," Shawn admitted.

"Well, there's no point punishing either my half-sibs by him or even my stepmother Dana and he is a bit contrite so that counts for something. I guess," Maya sighed.

" You think you guys may have a sporadic birthday/Christmas card deal like you do with your great-uncle Miguel Alveira? "Shawn asked.

"Possibly so but right now I'm going to marry Joshua in front of all of the above, become a Matthews including becoming Riley's and Auggie's AUNT!" Maya laughed.

" Are you going to try to make them call you that?" Shawn laughed.

"Only when they get too annoying," Maya laughed.

"Oh, they won't be your only niece or nephew. Mrs. Friar just texted your now honorary Uncle Eric that they're having their own baby!" Shawn proclaimed.

"All these folks I'm going to be on a first name basis with. I'm going to miss calling him as well Uncle Cory and Aunt Topanga by their titles once I become their baby sister-in-law," Maya laughed.

"I have the feeling they're going to need us to keep them on an even keel once they learn everything going on," Shawn sighed.

"Lucas let it out?" Maya gulped.

"Yeah. He did. Alan Matthews just texted me so I could keep it from your Uncle Cory. I want you to know that Mom and I will be there for you if you're …" Shawn insisted.

"Daddy, I'm not! Not for at least another nine and a half months if tonight goes well," Maya insisted.

"Maya, you mean that you're still a . . " Shawn gulped.

"SHH! Don't let it get around, Daddy! It would hurt my bad girl rep!" Maya laughed.

"Not that it's any of my biz but. .[WHEW]" ,Shawn interjected.

"I think all of us can later somehow keep Uncle Cory and Aunt Topanga from totally melting down but you understand why we need to keep this quiet until after Nana and Mr. Feeny have done their parts and, of course, Joshua and I will do all we can to help," Maya proclaimed.

"Oh, yeah! Of course, it will be interesting to see how your new in-laws will handle becoming great-grandparents," Shawn laughed.

" How did they do with the news of Riley's arrival?" Maya asked.

"They somewhat freaked but mostly because they thought Uncle Cory and Aunt Topanga were too young and inexperienced to be first time parents- especially your Mom Amy," Shawn recalled.

"So they may actually get some satisfaction of seeing Uncle Cory and Aunt Topanga squirm like they did at the news a generation earlier . That should be interesting!" Maya pondered.

"So you think you'll be ready to go back to Juliard this fall while Joshua starts his internship at that architecture firm?" Shawn asked.

"Sure, it will be in our own place not in the NYU married dorms like Lucas and Riles are going to be dealing with," Maya explained.

"True- and only six blocks from our apartment," Shawn added.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your double duty in another hour?" Maya asked.

"It just means sprinting back after marching with the groom parade. Not a marathon!" Shawn shrugged.

"Daddy, thanks for everything and, believe it or not, I AM going to miss living with you, Mom, George and Amy, " Maya broke down and cried.

"I know but our family isn't splitting- just getting a LOT bigger!" Shawn proclaimed as he hugged Maya's shoulders.

"Yeah. Oh, help me, Daddy!" Maya gasped.

"What's wrong, _Hijita_?" Shawn asked.

"It just hit me that I'm going to be a great-aunt and I'm not even twenty!" Maya gulped.

" Adventures of the Matthews Family! At least this time, neither of us will have anything to do with Cory and Topanga getting grey hair!" Shawn laughed.

. ..

..

"Mr. & Mrs. Feeny and Mr. & Mrs. Matthews, why don't you take us up on our offer?" Minkus asked in another part of the church.

"We've lived in our old neighborhood for decades now," Alan scoffed.

"I know but all of your children and grandchildren now live in Manhattan and it can't be fun to have to keep commuting back and forth to Philly," Minkus insisted.

"True that," Amy sighed.

" What's more. is a bit of a headache for Lila and I to go back and forth to Manhattan see our honorary charges at the Foundation and the Hunter twins," Mr. Feeny conceded.

"Farkle and Isadora have struck out on their own with their new penthouse overlooking Central Park (only 30 stories up) so his old Suite is fallow," Minkus explained.

"But we've lived in our two houses for all these years," Lila sighed.

"Farkle's Suite could fit your entire suburban block and then some. Say the word and I could have your entire dwellings replicated there side by side - trees and gardens included with sunray lamps to keep them growing. You two couples would still be neighbors but all on one floor with no more stairs - and you'd be within easy access of our Minkus commissaries, malls and infirmaries on the lower floors as well as a nonstop elevator to the street level and Subway station," Minkus insisted.

"Alan, do you think this could work?" Amy Matthews asked.

" Amy, we may need stick around Manhattan for awhile to console Cory and Topanga- after we gloat a bit," Alan Matthews shrugged.

" Oh?" Amy asked.

"I must be putting on my vestments, directly Mr. Minkus so what would we need to compensate . .?" Mr. Feeny asked.

" Nothing whatsoever. You and the Matthewses raised two families that have enriched my own tremendously and I personally want to take care of you and Mrs. Feeny the rest of your lives. All that has been more than compensation enough," Minkus insisted.

" We can't make a rush decision but Lila and I will discuss this a great deal in the next few days as will the Matthewses," Mr. Feeny declared while Lila, Alan and Amy all nodded.

"Excellent! Jennifer and I will look forward to your being our neighbors!" Minkus declared as he walked off.

"Father, are you sure about having them live in my old Suite?" Farkle whispered as he came up to Minkus.

"I've missed too many years with them and I don't want to miss any more," Minkus admitted.

"But what about Mother? "Farkle asked.

"She doesn't need to visit any of them if she doesn't want. It's not about her," Minkus insisted.

"Isn't that what you said about our jaunt to China in November?" Farkle asked.

"True! Oh, I still think we need to tell the world about how we wiped out a horrible plague that would have caused the entire world to become mask-attired hermits and shut-ins- to say nothing of stopping virtually all travel and direct schooling ," Minkus insisted.

" Three people in China got nothing more than what they thought were head colds before we cured and eradicated that affliction. If we tell everyone how close the world came to being decimated by that, there'd be widespread panic," Farkle sighed.

_A/N- This is an AU. Therefore, since Minkus and Farkle don't actually exist in our world, why not have these folks who DO exist in this AU get rid of that horrible affliction in their AU_.

"Perhaps, but think of it as a good rehearsal to us being Galaxy Guardians for eons!" Minkus insisted- as he put his right arm on Farkle's right shoulder.

"I'd rather enjoy my time being with Isadora and our impending offspring instead of thinking about that," Farkle sighed.

"Yes, but imagine how cool it will be for them to have a father and grandfather who happen to be the most robust bipedal immortals in the galaxy," Minkus laughed.

"I suppose, Father,"Farkle sighed.

"And already people are thinking we're more twin like! I wonder how many ID's I'll wear out before they stop carding me with the entire world knowing who I am and that I'm infinitely older than I appear? " Minkus shrugged.

"Let's not think about that and just make sure Mother does okay at this wedding," Farkle replied.

. ..

"Whoa! Thar! Where ya think you're going, Rachel. You're supposed to be on the brides' side of the church!" Pappy Joe exclaimed as he grabbed Rachel in her purple knee-length gown by the upper arms.

" Pappy Joe, the man I'm about to marry is in distress and he needs. .." Rachel insisted.

"No more than Caleb was when he found out Lucas was on the way," Pappy Joe shrugged.

"You couldn't possibly know that. We were in Ethiopia when we found out," Rachel sniffed.

"I knew my boy and I knew myself when Mama Pearl told me Caleb was a' coming!" Pappy Joe laughed.

" You know that if Caleb were still in this world, there'd be no one else but you need to believe me that Eric's special and we love each other," Rachel pleaded.

"Yep. He's no more touched than most folks on Capitol Hill," Pappy Joe snorted.

"Pappy Joe," Rachel groaned.

"OK, even though you didn't ask it like Lucas asked me about Miss Riley, you've got my blessin' to marry Mr. Eric- even if it's by a preacher lady," Pappy Joe shrugged.

"Now Miss Lydia has worked very hard and she's .. ." Rachel insisted.

"Yeah, I know! Women preachers just ain't something I grew up with but she's given Miss Riley and Miss Maya polish these last few years an' that's something good," Pappy Joe shrugged.

" I know _I'm_ not polished," Rachel sighed.

"I never imagined Caleb would have chosen a Californie Yankee like you in a million years but you loved him and did right by him- and what's more important, you've loved and done right by Lucas. He didn't come up as he did just from his few memories of Caleb and MY influence," Pappy Joe conceded.

"You mean that, Pappy Joe?"Rachel squealed as she hugged her father-in-law.

"Yeah, I guess I do,"Pappy Joe shrugged.

"He's been the most important person in both our lives for so long but now.." Rachel gulped.

"Now, you've got a new man and a new baby but we've still got Lucas, Miss Riley is going to be a Friar AND they're going to make you a grandma an' me a great-grandpa!" Pappy Joe laughed.

" You knew? " Rachel gulped.

"Sure! Lucas had that very same look I did when Mama Pearl told me about Caleb," Pappy Joe shrugged.

" Oh, I know that it won't be easy with Lucas in the NYU pre-vet program and Riley in the secondary educational one there and we can't tell Cory or Topanga until after the ceremony,"Rachel pleaded.

"Shoot! I ain't sayin' nothin'. Them two make your dust devil fiancé look like a statue -especially when upset!" Pappy Joe shrugged.

. ..

. .

" Are you sure you don't want some tapioca pudding before I walk you down the aisle? " Cory asked as held up a spoon of it from a pudding bowl while Isadora and Zay's girlfriend Miko helped adjust her white veil over her ivory-knee length dress (worn with ivory flat open-toed sandals).

"No, Dad. No, Mom," Riley gulped trying not to get sick at the sight of it.

"But it's always been your favorite! " Topanga insisted.

"I'm not up to it right now. Wedding jitters," Riley attempted to giggle while Isadora gave her a knowing look.

" I don't envy your Uncle Shawn right now! He has to corral little Daphnée Crenshaw along with his dervish twins George and Amy so they march with rings, flowers and seed packets. THEN he has to escort your Aunt Katy THEN go back and fetch Uncle Jack before FINALLY fetching Maya! All I have to do is walk you down the aisle," Cory laughed.

"Mom?" Riley cried.

"Oh, you're such a pretty and tall bride! Are you sure you don't want to wait for us to schedule your very own wedding instead of sharing it with Mrs. Friar, your Aunt Morgan and Maya?" Topanga asked.

"Mom, I'm sure," Riley proclaimed.

"Now, remember, if you want to call the whole thing off, my car's parked in the back here and…" Cory pleaded.

"Dad…" Riley sighed.

" I just thought I'd try," Cory shrugged.

"Cory, wasn't it awesome how Lucas asked for our blessing before he proposed?" Topanga sniffed.

"Yeah, but I just hate to see my baby girl go out into the big bad world," Cory sobbed.

"Courage, Cory!" Topanga insisted as she led her husband out of the dressing room to give him a hug.

.

.. .

"How did you deal with telling your folks and the Minkuses, Isadora?" Riley asked while her parents were out of the room.

"Since Farkle and I had just married and moved into our own abode, it was somewhat different. My parents and Mother Minkus viewed it as a dynastic coup while Father Minkus started to calculate how many generations of progeny he and Farkle will get to know," Isadora pondered.

"I'm not sure I'd want my husband to be an immortal strongman while. ." Riley sighed.

"Yes, I already considered that but, as Mother Minkus has said, just because we won't see the end of the journey doesn't mean we can't make the most of the time we're on it for all our sakes and what a ride it's been so far!" Isadora swooned.

. ..

.

"Look at you! All set to wed Jack in blue!" Amy sniffed at seeing Morgan in a full-length sky blue gown.

" Mom, Dad. You're ready for this?" Morgan sniffed.

"Yeah, Jack's a good man and it's been good we've all long since cleared the air!" Alan proclaimed.

"Any advice, Mom?" Morgan gulped.

"You know we had that talk when you were thirteen and .." Amy gulped.

"Not that but you and Dad are easily the happiest couple I know after all these years- and here I am about to marry Jack who I love and there's still things that drive me up the wall about him," Morgan sighed.

"There's stuff about each other that drives each of us up the wall but the key is to learn to love those parts, too- even if you never quite learn to like," Amy beamed while she hugged Morgan.

"Anything you'd like to add, Dad?" Morgan asked.

" Oh Father of Two Grooms and a Bride and Grandfather of One Bride. If Miss Lydia hadn't offered us a wholesale rate and the four of you all didn't agree to pay for your own parts, I don't know HOW we could have pulled this off, " Alan laughed.

. …

Lila Bolander Feeny played the piano to start the procession.

First in the procession was 31-month old Daphnée Aiko Crenshaw carrying the Ring Pillow at her side but not running down the aisle. Then came 3-year-old George Hunter throwing the seed packets to each side while he walked down to join Daphnée at the front of the pulpit. Then came his twin Amy Hunter tossing flowers to each side.

Then Eric's Best Man, Thomas Jonathan Murphy escorted Rachel's Matron of Honor Angela Moore Crenshaw to the pulpit before T.J walked to the extreme right side while Angela walked to the extreme left side.

Then Jack's Best Man Shawn Patrick Hunter escorted Morgan's Matron of Honor Katy Hart Hunter and each followed the previous pair.

Then, Joshua's Best Man August Cory Matthews (aged 11) escorted Maya's Maid of Honor Ava Hephzibah Morgenstern (also 11).

Lastly from this group, Lucas's Best Men Farkle Minkus and Isaiah Babineaux escorted Riley's Matron of Honor Isadora Smackle Minkus and Riley's Maid of Honor Miko Matsomoto.

Then, one by one. Eric followed by Jack, followed by Joshua finally followed by Lucas (in Caleb's cowboy hat) walked directly to the front of the pulpit.

Immediately afterwards, Shawn and Lucas walked to the side door then ran all the way back to the back of the church where the brides were all waiting.

"Who presents these brides today?" asked Lydia.

"I , Lucas Caleb Friar, present my mother Rachel Kimberly to be married to Senator Eric Randall Matthews, "Lucas declared in a loud voice.

"I, Alan Eric Matthews present my daughter Morgan LeFay to be married to Mr. Jack Chet Hunter," Alan declared in a loud clear voice.

" I, Shawn Patrick Hunter, present my daughter Maya Penelope to be married to Mr. Joshua Gabriel Matthews," Shawn declared in a loud, clear voice.

" Um. … I. ..Cor. Oh, do I have to say the full name?" Cory hiss-whispered.

"Its already in the program, Dad and everyone else said theirs. Please, Dad," Riley pleaded.

"Trying again. I, Cornelius Angus Matthews, along with her mother Topanga Walburga Lawrence Matthews , present our daughter Riley Chloe to be married to Mr. Lucas Caleb Friar,"Cory groaned.

"Cory! " Topanga shouted from her front row seat.

"If I have to say MY full name, your full name gets said outloud,too!" Cory replied.

"I could have said Katy's name!" Shawn fumed.

"I could have said Amy's…" Alan added.

"Enough of this nonsense already. Let's proceed!" Mr. Feeny insisted.

"Welcome everybody to a very special event for all of us! Before we actually perform the marriages, the happy couples would like to make a few declarations so I hope our families and friends can wait just a little longer," Lydia proclaimed.

"Eric Randall , what would like to say to Rachel Kimberly?" Mr. Feeny asked.

"Rachel, when you first came into my life all those years ago, I thought I was amazed that this tall, beautiful, clever Amazon would want me. I know we later parted and I don't want to revisit that except that the time with you gave me strength to endure some tough times afterward. Then when we met again, I was so happy again that you actually wanted to give me another chance was so incredible and that your son Scarecrow. .Lucas wants me in the family is amazing. I love you with all my parts and look forward to being with you the rest of my life. Rachel, thank you so much for this!" Eric exclaimed.

"Rachel Kimberly, what would you like to say to Eric Randall?" Lydia asked.

"Eric, you've never been less than an excellent friend to me even when we weren't together and, yes, the memories of our initial time together also gave me strength to endure some sad times that happened later. I hesitated for a long time to see you again because I let fear of your possible resentment over our earlier parting and was worried that you'd reject Lucas for not having been yours .Those fears and worries have proven to be completely baseless and you've embraced both of us so I thank you for wanting us to be together again and embracing my son as your friend. How I love you, Eric Matthews!" Rachel proclaimed.

"Jack Chet, what would you like to say to Morgan LeFay?" Mr. Feeny asked.

"Morgan, when we met again, I was a pudding of resentment and hatred letting old hurts and pains eating me up from the inside but you didn't let me wallow or run away but forced me to see that there was more to life than holding onto old baggage. I thought tearing out old walls and scraping old floors would be a tedious chore and sheer punishment for what I'd done but you helped me to see that we were building something beautiful not just for those children in the Feeny Foundation but also for each of us. You've helped rebuild me from the inside out and even achieve something I'd have never thought possible- genuine friendship with my brother Shawn! When I first met you again, I didn't think I had anything to exist for but revenge and hatred but now I look forward to every single day with you and I feel younger than I did that very first day Eric brought me over to your family home and saw you for the first time- thinking you were too young and mouthy for me to bother with but you've grown into someone I adore more than anyone who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Thanks so much for opening my jaded, weary eyes to so many wonders, My Love!"Jack proclaimed.

"Morgan LeFay, what would you like to say to Jack Chet?" Lydia asked.

"Jack, I'm not going to argue that your first impression when we met again wasn't the best. But let's be honest. I've never been a saint or angel and I,too, had given up on many things and thought love was for dummies. You helped me see that true, mutual love was worth letting my guard down for and something to embrace instead of run from. I used to wonder if I'd be anything more than the Matthewses' daughter, sister or aunt and a hard worker who occasionally dated but now I see that doing what I love with the man I love has opened my eyes to so much more! Thank you,too, for your family Shawn, Katy, Maya, Miss Lydia, George and Amy helping me to make me part of yours and I look forward to being with you as well as our families becoming one!" " Morgan proclaimed.

"Joshua Gabriel, what would you like to say to Maya Penelope?" Mr. Feeny asked.

"Maya, you were always like no one else I've ever known. Witty, intense, stunningly beautiful and so creative but also quite empathetic, warm and caring even if you didn't want that part of you known to everyone. These last few years, I've seen you bloom into the most awesome person I could ever imagine. Some may have wondered how I could have chosen you when there were others who might have wanted to be with me but, as far as I'm concerned, there never was any choice. Through all our laughter, tears and even angry words, I've never not known you've loved me every minute and I hope you've known I've loved you every moment and will do so for all eternity! Thank you for encouraging me to embrace the roller coaster of our lives!" Joshua proclaimed.

"Maya Penelope, what you would like to say to Joshua Gabriel?" Lydia asked.

"Nana, thanks for asking me that. Joshua, yes, I admit that I was a sucker for your gorgeous exterior from the first time I saw you , but that's not why I've fallen for you all this time. You were one of the few who didn't see me a charity or pity case but who saw I could be more than I would have imagined I could be and I appreciate that you've always been honest but caring even when telling me what I didn't want to but needed to hear. I used to think love was for suckers but you've encouraged me to see that true love is something that will do nothing but enrich us and help carry us even during those times when we may be angry with each other. I also want to say that I appreciate you helping me embrace my own family as it's grown from just me and Mom to me, Mom, Daddy then Nana and then George and Amy. How I look forward to riding that roller coaster forever with you as soon as Mr. Feeny and Nana give the word! I love you, Joshua!" Maya proclaimed.

"Lucas Caleb, what would you like to say to Riley Chloe?" Mr. Feeny asked.

"Riley, the first time we met in that subway all those years ago, I was angry at Mama for taking me away from all my family and friends in Texas and, yes, scared being in this huge, loud city but you encouraged me to consider living here as an adventure and a fresh start. Now, Mama had said the very same thing but you, Maya, Farkle and Mr. Matthews were the first folks in Manhattan willing to give me a chance to be my best instead of thinking I was doomed to stay my worst! I'm happy I've stuck around because I've seen you grow these last three and half years into a warm, kind and caring person who supports our friends' and my choices even if you don't always agree with them! Now, you're due to follow Mr. Matthews's footsteps and become a teacher,too, and it's good that you've learned to how to listen when needed. That'll help make for some fine learning! I look forward to us being at each other's sides the rest of our lives. How I love you, Riley! " Lucas declared.

"Riley Chloe, what would like to say to Lucas Caleb?" Lydia asked.

"Lucas, when we first met in that subway, Maya may have seen you as bad and dangerous but I saw you as lost and needing friends but it wasn't pity that was the basis of our friendship. It has been seeing you grow and turn what had been a bad setback into something awesome. And, I thank you for sticking by my side even when I needed to be called out for having become so overwhelming and mean to everyone for so long. You also encouraged me to be my best and to make a fresh start after that time. I'm not going to pretend I won't worry about you getting scratched by a cat, bitten by a dog,kicked by a horse or gored by a bull when you fulfill your lifelong dream of becoming a vet but just as you're encouraging me to be the best person and teacher I can be, I want to encourage you to be the best person and vet you can be because that will make us both awesome people. I look forward to trading notes on schooldays and animal clients- but more importantly being together loving each other for the rest of our lives. I love you so much, Lucas Friar!" Riley insisted.

"Thank you everyone for those encouraging words to each other! Now it's time for Reverend Bolling and me to get to the vital parts of this ceremony. All brides, grooms and witnesses have already signed the marriage licences so they're technically married but we hope you are willing to indulge us clergy to make these bonds spiritual before these couples are considered truly wed,"Mr. Feeny proclaimed.

Then Mr. Feeny and Lydia each gave a brief sermon about marriage joining individuals and families together before Mr. Feeny asked each groom and Lydia asked each bride whether they took each other in marriage of their own free will,etc before all of them said their vows. All went smoothly until. ..

Cory saw Riley give Lucas a look which he reciprocated.

"Wait, they've got that 'how are we going to tell Dad' look and Riley didn't want tapioca earlier.'"Cory gasped as he caught it.

"SHH! " Eric, Rachel, Jack, Morgan, Joshua, Auggie, Ava, Maya, Angela, Alan, Shawn,Katy,Farkle, Isadora and T.J all shushed from the stage while virtually everyone else in the congregation did the same.

"Shawnny, it's the same look Topanga and I had when we had to tell Mom and Dad about. ..!"Cory gulped.

"Cory, shut up! I say this with love," Shawn hiss whispered.

"Then ,by the power vested in me and Reverend Bolling by the State of New York, we pronounce you husbands and wives. The brides and grooms may kiss!"Mr. Feeny proclaimed.

**"NOOOO!**""Cory screamed as he fell to his knees then started crawling as fast as he could towards Lucas.

"HELMA! Operation Daddy Sweep ! NOW!" Lydia pleaded as Helma and four other Dandelion Fields' staff members all picked up Cory _en masse _and physically carried him off the floor to the back stage of the pulpit.

The guests seemed a bit stunned for a minute.

"No need to get into a swivet just because of that,folks! The reception's starting now so everyone 's invited to adjourn for some cake, punch and snacks" Lydia proclaimed from the pulpit.

The congregation quickly dispersed.

"You corralled a bad scene like a real pro. I tip my hat to you," Pappy Joe insisted as he did just that.

"Why thank you, Mr. Joseph. But this isn't my first wedding with a meltdown and no point in having one man's fit spoil things for everyone else. Please join us for refreshments in the Café," Lydia insisted as she pointed to the café while she ventured backstage.

"Much obliged, Ma'am!" Pappy Joe exclaimed.

"We'll wait for you and the others to join us, Lydia," Agent LaChance replied .

"Thanks for being understanding, Mr. Jasper and thanks for all your help today!" Lydia declared as she hugged Agent LaChance.

"So where's?" Pappy Joe asked.

"This way, Mr. Friar. Even observing the periphery of this amazing family has been most eye-opening," Agent LaChance laughed as he edged his shades for a second.

.

.

All other members of the wedding parties followed backstage- along with Topanga and Amy when Helma and the other staff members put Cory down.

Cory immediately clenched his fists and screamed as he ran towards the relocated Lucas.

Shawn, Alan, and Eric immediately attempted to tackle Cory but his adrenaline was too much for them.

"YOU! You Daughter-Deflowerer! Making a mockery of my Baby Girl's Wedding Day!" Cory snarled as he lunged towards Lucas- with only Farkle's iron grip picking Cory up wih one hand off the floor stopping him.

"Sir?" Lucas gulped.

"Dad, please," Riley pleaded.

"Riley, how could let him get you pregnant? What happened to waiting until the two of you graduated with full degrees?" Topanga fumed as she swung her purse and hit Riley with her picture hat.

"Mom? Dad? Why are you LAUGHING?! " Cory fumed as he caught sight of Alan and Amy nearly collapsing in a fit of laughter (at that point, Farkle put him back down but held onto to Cory's right arm with his own right hand).

"What goes around, comes around," Amy smirked.

"But. .but this is changing both their lives forever," Topanga pleaded.

"You're right. Just as getting married and having Riley changed yours and Cory's!" Alan insisted while he caught his breath.

"But how will they make …?" Topanga gulped.

"It wasn't easy but you and Cory made it and those two have all of us and lots of friends to help! " Shawn pleaded.

"That's good encouragement, Son!" Lydia beamed as she hugged Shawn,

"Thanks, Mama," Shawn replied.

"Yeah, and Rachel's going to be a gammer and I get to have a grape niche or grape cousin about the same time she gives me our own papoose !" Eric laughed.

"You're going to be a father, Eric! I can't say I was expecting that," Alan gulped.

"Yeah,Mom and Dad- and I can't imagine a better time or place to do it," Eric insisted.

" We're going to be grandparents of another baby, "Amy beamed as she kissed Alan.

"And also great-grandparents of yet another one!" Alan laughed as they hugged.

"You're really cool with me and Rachel becoming parents?" Eric gulped.

"It's a bit of a shock and surprise but it's a good one! " Alan admitted.

"Fine!Fine! Get all gushy that Eric and Rachel are going to give you a big strapping grandkid and you get to be great-grandparents,too, by Riley. Meantime, mock my fate of having to deal with the anguish of Riley having to juggle school and motherhood even younger than Topanga did," Cory fumed.

" Mr. Cory , Miss Topanga, Shawn's shared with you our story but your grandbaby is going to be loved and have so much that many babies can't imagine," Lydia pleaded.

"Yeah, but it's not what we wanted for Riley," Topanga fumed.

"Have you even thought to ask Riley what she wants?" Mr. Feeny asked.

"She's the one who has to make a lot of decisions," Lila added.

"Joshua and I will be there for her for them. How about you, Unc.. Er Cory and Topanga? Hmm, that's not as easy as I thought," Maya added while Joshua nodded then laughed as the two kissed.

"You're right, Shawn, Miss Lydia, Mr. Feeny, Lila, Maya. Sweetie, what do you want here?" Cory gulped (as Farkle finally released him).

"Dad, I'm sorry I disappointed you and Mom,"Riley sighed.

"You should… um, that is you should express to us what you want,Honey," Topanga conceded.

"Well, I still want to be a teacher and Lucas still wants to be a veterinarian but even though this wasn't what we planned, we DO both love, want to have and raise this baby," Riley insisted while Lucas walked up to her and the two kissed each other on the lips.

"'Panga-Bear, we're going to be grandparents," Cory gulped.

"Yeah, I know, Cor-Coa!" Topanga sighed as she and Cory hugged each other and nodded their heads.

"Eric and I will help those kids out as much as we can, you know that, Topanga," Rachel pleaded.

"I know. And you're going to be a mother of a baby at the same time you get to be a grandmother, "Topanga laughed.

"Yeah, AND trying to work out what being a Senator's wife means," Rachel laughed.

"You only have to be my Rachel and our papoose's mutter from now on . If the other Senators or their wives don't like it, tough ticker tape," Eric insisted as he hugged Rachel.

"Even though parenthood's totally unknown to me, I'll do all I can to help you and Eric as well as Riley and Lucas," T.J. declared.

"Thanks, Tommy!"Eric insisted.

"Riley, Lucas, we WILL welcome your baby and do all we can do to help out,too," Cory said with a gulp while Topanga nodded.

"Well, do you have any objections to me scooping up Daphnée and the Hunter Twins to keep them busy while you guys come to terms with all these babies on the way?" Angela asked.

"Thanks, Angela. See if Mama might want to show all of you to the Red Barn with all the livestock. My babies can't get enough of those animals," Katy laughed as Angela quickly hugged her then Rachel then Morgan then Maya then Riley .

"The Red Barn's this way Miss Angela and Little Ones and we have a new litter of lambs just born three days ago!" Lydia declared as she led them out.

"Between Rachel's ancient grandmother Mrs. Cassidy and three toddlers under four, I'd have thought there might have been problems from them but those four behaved just fine. It was my drama llama middle bro Cory who had to put the lemon in the lemonade!" Morgan laughed.

"Morgan, do you ever imagine there will ever be a quiet Matthews wedding with no one losing it?" Jack laughed.

" No, I can't- and I thought with safety in numbers we'd have had less chance of a meltdown," Morgan sighed as she hugged Jack who kissed her on the lips.

"So, are you and Jack?" Alan gulped.

"No, Dad! We're staying child free for the next few years so we can enjoy each other's company," Morgan insisted while Jack nodded and Shawn patted him and Morgan on their backs.

"How about you, Joshua?" Amy asked.

"Mom, not for at least another nine and a half months from now," Joshua laughed while hugging Maya who kissed him on the lips.

"You mean Maya's still. ." Cory sputtered while Joshua and Maya nodded and giggled.

"Cory," Topanga groaned.

" Shawn and Katy Hunter, right now I hate you!" Cory fumed as he pointed to the Hunters.

" We know, Cory, but we'll work it out . We always do," Shawn laughed while Katy hugged him as he patted Cory's shoulder.

"Yeah, I know. Because we're _family_ and, from now on, are we EVER a family!" Cory laughed.

"Ava's grandparents want us to come up to the Catskills for the Fourth of July Weekend? Can we do that, Mom.. Dad?" Auggie asked as he came in from the main congregation.

"We'll see,"Topanga half-laughed.

"Mr. Feeny, do you think we'll be able to graft a Morgenstern branch to our Matthews-Hunter-Friar Frankentree? "Cory asked.

"With my luck, I may be around to perform THAT wedding,"Mr. Feeny laughed while he and Lila shook their heads.

So with that the whole wedding party went to join their guests(including welcoming Kermit and his newer family) to give cheer to the four unions celebrating eight folks' love for each other- and officially making for a much larger family than before all getting ready to embrace any good times & bumps ahead and each other! Then as soon as toasts (in water and lemonade) were raised, portraits were taken and a few dances took place, Joshua and Maya removed their shoes then ran barefoot to through the fields and woods to a secluded meadow two miles away to fulfill some of their respective fantasies- with expectations surpassed.

**THE END**

A/N-_ The BMW/GWM characters are the properties of Michael Jacobs, Disney,etc and not mine._

_The OC characters of Shawn's mother Lydia Veronica Bolling, Shawn &Katy's eventual twins George and Amy Hunter, Angela's husband and eventual daughter General Jared and Daphnée Crenshaw and Lydia's employee Helma,etc. __ are mine._


End file.
